Iron Sharpens Iron
Proverbs 27:1-27
- What did it mean to the original reader or original audience?
- Do you work best with people, things or ideas? Give an example.
- Suppose you had a fan club (with Mom and Dad as charter members). What would they say is your key contribution to your family life, work setting or field of study?
#People = Wise individuals, Fools, Friends, Neighbors, Shepherds, Stewards
#Time =
#Place =
#Obedient faith =
#Sin =
#Key Idea =
1Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
2Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips.
3A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?
5Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
7One who is full loathes honey,
but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.
8Like a bird that strays from its nest
is a man who strays from his home.
9Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.a
10Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend,
and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near
than a brother who is far away.
11Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
that I may answer him who reproaches me.
12The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
but the simple go on and suffer for it.
13Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger,
and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.b
14Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice,
rising early in the morning,
will be counted as cursing.
15A continual dripping on a rainy day
and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to graspc oil in one’s right hand.
17Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.d
18Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and he who guards his master will be honored.
19As in water face reflects face,
so the heart of man reflects the man.
20Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
and never satisfied are the eyes of man.
21The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and a man is tested by his praise.
22Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle
along with crushed grain,
yet his folly will not depart from him.23Know well the condition of your flocks,
and give attention to your herds,
24for riches do not last forever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
25When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26the lambs will provide your clothing,
and the goats the price of a field.
27There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for the food of your household
and maintenance for your girls.
and give attention to your herds,
24for riches do not last forever;
and does a crown endure to all generations?
25When the grass is gone and the new growth appears
and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered,
26the lambs will provide your clothing,
and the goats the price of a field.
27There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,
for the food of your household
and maintenance for your girls.
- Neither Boast nor Brag (27:1–3): You do not know what the future will bring. Let others praise you.
- More Dangerous than Anger (27:4): Jealousy is more destructive than wrath.
- Sweeter than Kisses (27:5–9): A friend’s criticism is better than kisses from the enemy.
- Never Forget a Friend (27:10–14): If you remember your friends, they will help you when you need it.
- A Rainy Day and a Cranky Woman (27:15–18): They are equally annoying.
- More Reflective than a Mirror (27:19–22): “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person.”
- Caring for the Lambs (27:23–27): Put your heart into caring for your flock, because it will provide food and clothing for you.
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Proverbs 27 is a chapter focused on wisdom and relationships. It highlights the importance of self-control, humility, and strong friendships. Key themes include:
1. Uncertainty of Life
· The chapter begins with a caution against boasting about tomorrow, emphasizing the unpredictability of life and the need for humility (Proverbs 27:1-2).
2. The Weight of Folly and Anger
· It discusses the heavy consequences of folly and uncontrolled anger, comparing them to tangible weights like stones and sand (Proverbs 27:-4).
3. The Value of Honest Rebuke
· Genuine friendship is highlighted, where faithful wounds from a friend are deemed more valuable than deceptive flattery from an enemy (Proverbs 27:5-6).
4. Satisfaction and Desire
· The chapter illustrates how satisfaction can alter perception; a satisfied person may reject what others find desirable (Proverbs 27:7).
5. The Importance of Friendship
· Strong friendships are portrayed as vital support systems, often more reliable than familial ties during crises (Proverbs 27:9-10).
The importance of true friends is highlighted. It warns against the dangers of false friends who flatter and deceive. The chapter encourages seeking out wise and trustworthy friends.
6. Wisdom vs. Folly
· It contrasts the prudent person who anticipates danger with the simple who ignore potential threats, leading to their downfall (Proverbs 27:11-12).
7. Diligent Stewardship
· The latter part emphasizes the necessity of knowing the condition of one’s flocks and herds, symbolizing responsible management of resources for future prosperity (Proverbs 27:23-27). It warns that current wealth is not a guarantee for the future, advocating for proactive stewardship.
Conclusion
Overall, this chapter serves as a practical guide for navigating life's complexities through wisdom, emphasizing humility, the significance of true friendships, and responsible management of one's resources. These insights remain relevant across generations, encouraging readers to reflect on their relationships and responsibilities in life.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- Some proverbs are simple observations of life, and some are advice on living. How can you tell the difference? From this chapter. what key concepts distinguish them both?
- What's the point of boasting or praising (vv. 1-2,21)? How does the New Testament expand that (see Mt 6:34; Lk 12:19-20; Jn 12:43; 2 Co 10:12,18; Jas 4:13-16)?
- What choices are implicit in each of the comparisons in verses 3-6?
- What distinguishes true friends (vv. 5-6. 9-10,14,17)?
- What do verses 7-8 condemn: Food or possessiveness? Fugitives, pilgrims, or wanderlust?
- What reveals true character (vv. 19-22)? What can be done to satisfy a person's restlessness or change a fool's character?
- What is the proper balance between hard work and God's provision (vv. 23-27)?
- Your local high school has invited you to be a guest lecturer on "friendship, and you have chosen this chapter as your text. How would you start? What illustrations would you use? What stories from personal experience come to mind of someone who has openly rebuked you, sharpened you like iron, earnestly counseled you, or been a good neighbor? What clincher would you close?
- How well do you "know the condition of your flocks" (v. 23)? Do you have a laid back ("What, me worry?") attitude?
- Where do you put more stock: (a) Long-term financial plans? (b) Get-rich-quick schemes? (c) Just living for today with no thought of tomorrow?
- What personal or national "danger" lurks on the horizon (v. 12)? What will it cost to take refuge? To forsake refuge? So, what prudent thing will you do?
- Who in your life "sharpens you like iron" (v. 17)? What kind of relationship do you expect from a person like this? Are you that to anyone else? Does this idea make you feel good, or cause a little fear? Why?
- If verse 22 is true, what hope is there for a fool?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- What transformative move needs to be made?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others via social media links at this bottom.
- What has the Holy Spirit revealed to you in this passage? How will you apply it to your life this week?
- Whom do you know who needs to hear this?
- What is God bringing to your attention in this discussion? What beliefs, thoughts, or actions need to be addressed or changed?
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for Your discipline and instruction. Help me to always remember that Your reproof is evidence of Your love. In the Name of Jesus.
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Proverbs 27 - Iron Sharpens Iron
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Your Positioning
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips. - Proverbs 27:2
Many years of being around a business taught me that positioning was defined as a place or position that a product, service, or person held in the mind of the audience. We knew that often perception was reality for people, regardless of the truth. For years, I spent time and money seeking to position our company in the minds of our prospective clients. Although it would seem that is a natural and logical marketing function, I later discovered there is a dangerous flaw when we attempt to position ourselves by promoting our own attributes. I discovered that positioning is a by-product of who we are and what we do, not an end in itself.
King David was my first biblical lesson in coming to understand the difference. Here was a man who had committed adultery and murder, and failed many times in his family life. Yet, God describes David as a "man after God's own heart." Isn't that interesting? Why would God describe someone who had obviously failed in many areas as one who was after God's own heart? Throughout David's life, we find frequent descriptions made by God: "So David's fame spread throughout every land..." (1 Chron. 14:17). Although David did make many mistakes, his heart was soft toward God and sought to praise Him. David wrote the majority of the Psalms. God honored what was in David's heart, not his perfection. I believe that God's strategic placement of David was so that we may learn from and be drawn to the attribute of David that God primarily wanted him known for -- a heart bent toward Him. His positioning was a by-product of who he was, not an end in itself. In our business and personal life, our positioning among those who will know us should be a by-product of our life and service, not an end itself.
What is your "position" today among your peers? I once asked my Bible study group to ask others, "What do you think of when someone mentions my name?" This exercise can bring some interesting revelations. It might motivate us to make some changes, or it might confirm that God is doing a great work in you.
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