An Honored Task | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: An Honored Task | Previous Challenge Entry
By James Graham
05/03/23
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AN HONORED TASK

He was sitting alone in a diner booth
A bowl of bean soup was his lunch
The words he heard bothered him
He prayed, then acted on his hunch

By now it was a common occurrence
For the Lord to use him this way
He was always placed where needed
And received assurance after he prayed

Arising, he looked over the booth wall
Saw three men, their open Bibles displayed
Back and forth, their words were tossed
Their misconception of scripture caused dismay

He knew they were discussing Proverbs
And their topic was Proverbs 27:17
It was a verse he knew very well
Because in his life it was easily seen

“I couldn’t help but hear you talking”
“I would like to join you if I can”
“I believe that I can explain this verse”
“It changed me into a better man”

Seeing that one man had an NIV
“Will you read the scripture, please?”
Taking a seat, he introduced himself
Then bowed himself in humble humility

“As iron sharpens iron,” the man read
“So one person sharpens another”
Opening his eyes, he began to speak
“Let me tell you about my brother”

“We grew up in a Christian home”
“Never missed a service or Sunday School”
“I went there until joining the Marines”
“And drifted away, I was a fool”

“My brother became a pastor”
“His church is in a nearby town”
“Every time we have a family reunion”
“He would look at me and frown”

“He knew that I had fallen away”
“And he made it his single goal”
“To witness to me about salvation”
“He was determined to restore my soul”

“Oh, the verbal warfare that we had”
“We grated against each other in combat”
“Not an inch did we cede to each other”
“While having our usual brotherly spat”

“Then one day I finally saw the light”
“When I saw tears in my brother’s eyes”
“The sharpening by God’s two-edged sword”
“Caused me, my life, to utterly despise”

“By using God’s word, he sharpened me”
“With love, he honed away my defense”
“Only after I had hit rock bottom”
“Did it, to me, finally make any sense”

“You have to use it with God’s love”
“This Proverbs Chapter 27: verse17
“You can’t use any force with it”
“Be gentle. You know what I mean”

“You have to let the scripture work”
“Let the understanding of it sink in”
“Then as the two-edged sword cuts”
“The results … both of you will win”

“It can be a very painful process”
“As the sinful dross is honed away”
“Things you didn’t want to get rid of”
“Will suddenly be on open display”

“When I think about what I was”
“And what I have become this day”
“I praise God my brother sharpened me”
“Allowed the Lord to have His way”

Rising from the table, he saw tears
His testimony had touched their hearts
He knew he had done God’s will
And that the sharpening would soon start

As he walked away, he was content
Knowing he was doing what was asked
To sharpen using God’s two-edged sword
To him, had become an honored task

Scripture taken from an NIV Bible

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