“Iron sharpeneth iron…so a man sharpeneth…his friend.”
(Prov. 27:17)
By friction is one iron instrument sharpened by another. And so it is with us, when we become dull and lose our intellectual and spiritual edge. God has ordained an instrument made of the same material to be used in taking off our rough, blunt edge, thereby making us sharp once again. The wise man tells us, “If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength.”
A recluse is invariably a one-sided person. This is one reason, no doubt, we’re told, “It is not good for man to be alone.” We need to learn to mingle with those with diverse opinions and viewpoints: people who’ll make us think, that keep us from being intellectual and spiritual sloths. Brisk, lively, spirited conversations can not only be enlightening but even enjoyable.
There is great gain to be acquired from conversations with those possessing superior knowledge, mainly the increase of wisdom. Need I point out Timothy and Paul as an example? Challenging conversations are advantageous to all parties involved. Anytime we’re provoked to independent thinking, it will always be to our profit. A stagnant mind produces the same as stagnant waters.
That great intellect, C.S. Lewis, would meet with friends in a local pub for informal discussions. Not all held the same views, hence it could become quite spirited but all remained friends. They called their group, “The Inklings.” This continued for some twenty years. Such dialogue can be very profitable. J.R.R. Tolkien was one of the members of this group; he was instrumental in Lewis’s conversion.
Those who “pick up their marbles and go home” in disagreeing debates, have lost their marbles.
(rds)
No comments:
Post a Comment