Marching Forth!

" As iron sharpens iron, s o a man sharpens the countenance of his friend ." Proverbs 27:17 When I worked in mechanical insulation, knives were tools I used daily.  One of the first things you learn after pulling those Dexter Russell or Old Hickory knives from the package is the factory edge is not sufficient.  Knowing the intended use of a knife guided workers in how it should be sharpened:  a fine edge on stainless for cutting rubber was accomplished with a dry stone, and using a double-cut file high-carbon blades could be made serrated.  With a little practice, knives new and old were easily made serviceable by sharpening. King Solomon compared the sharpening of iron using iron to how interactions with others sharpens  friends.  When swords or daggers were blunted, passing blades on one another corrected blunted edges so both were improved.  Sharpening a blade with a stone uses it up, and over time files become dull and useless.  ...

Yesterday I spend time considering the implication of what going the extra mile meant when Jesus said in  Matthew 5:38-41 ,  " You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39   But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40   If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41   And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two ." Jesus began with a quote from the Law of Moses, but Jesus told his followers not to make demands concerning their rights.  If their eye was gouged out, they had the right under Law to demand the person guilty was made to lose their eye in the same fashion.  This was intended to limit punishment inflicted by the court for crimes.  At the same time would this push for retribution cause the blinded person to regain their lost eyesight?  No:  it blinded another ...

" For three things the earth is perturbed, y es, for four it cannot bear up: 22  for a servant when he reigns, a  fool when he is filled with food, 23  a hateful woman when she is married, a nd a maidservant who succeeds her mistress ." Proverbs 30:21-23 King Solomon said the earth is perturbed when a servant rules, and there is certainly trouble when the unqualified are in charge.  When I worked in a trade I quickly learned not all apprentices I trained handled authority well.  Some imagined additional responsibility was license to delegate their duties to others and cease from profitable labour.  They were unreasonably harsh towards others with less seniority as if they were somehow beneath them.  Let us not think only apprentices are to whom this verse applies, for as God's servants we can try to impose our will on Him. In Luke 10 Martha invited Jesus into her home, and she and Mary sat as His feet and heard His word.  She was ...

In everyone there is a thirst to be loved and accepted that is not always satisfied by others.  Leah is an example of this.  There was a woman who was desperate to be loved but no amount of her efforts worked to achieve it. Jacob worked 7 years for Rachel's hand in marriage, but his deceitful future father-in-law substituted her old sister Leah who is described as "tender eyed."  There are opinions on the exact meaning of this, but it is put in contrast to Rachel being beautiful and well-favoured.  This suggests there was something about Leah's eyes which were not beautiful.  Jacob was angry when he discovered Leah had been given to him in marriage, and a week later consummated a marriage with her sister Rachel.  It says plainly in  Genesis 29:30 Jacob " loved Rachel more than Leah ."  The rivalry would plague their relationship, and each tried to outdo the other. God saw what was going on in Genesis 29:31-32 :  " When the LORD saw t...