It has been a while since I have written a Weekly Whetstone. If a whetstone is something that you are unfamiliar with, then I urge you to go back and read Find a Whetstone; Be a Whetstone.

A Weapon

A whetstone is crucial for a weapon to stay sharp. As a weapon or tool is frequently used, it becomes dull and it must be sharpened in order to stay effective, efficient, and safe. Picture an ax, a blade, or a pocketknife. Once a tool loses its edge, its sharpness, more physical effort is required to complete that same task with the tool. More pressure must be applied. More skill must be utilized. Thus, the tool becomes worn, less effective, less efficient, and less safe in the hands of the user.

A Man

Now, allow me to rewrite the previous paragraph swapping the words “weapon/tool” with “man.”

A whetstone is crucial for a man to stay sharp. As a man frequently uses/gives of himself, he becomes dull and he must be sharpened in order to stay effective, efficient, and safe. Once a man loses his edge, his sharpness, more physical effort is required to complete the same usual tasks. More pressure must be applied. More skill must be utilized. Thus, the man becomes worn down, exhausted, less effective, and less safe to himself and those around him.

A Man’s Whetstone

So where does a man find one of these whetstones? A whetstone for a man can be found all around him. These are friends, leaders, books, podcasts, the Bible, and anywhere else that a man might find sources of wisdom and accountability.

Wisdom

Wisdom can be found in many places. You just have to search for it. Putting in the effort to find true wisdom and vetting those sources is always worth your effort. I enjoy gaining wisdom in the following ways:

  • Daily scripture reading/praying
  • Listening to podcasts
  • Reading blogs (like this one 😉)
  • Reading books
  • Going to church
  • Teaching others (wisdom really gets in you when it also comes out of you)
  • Meaningful conversations with others
  • Intentional meetings with other men
  • Vetted social media accounts (please note the key word “vetted”)
  • Vetted news sources (sorry, cable news did not make the cut)

These are just a few ways that I sharpen myself. Your list may look entirely different and that is okay. But it is important that you begin to search for and establish your own list.

A Brother

Gaining wisdom is a great way to stay sharp, but nothing can sharpen a man as well as a solid brotherly relationship. The list above is great but if you want to truly gain a fine edge, you must have another man or men in your life that have the grit necessary to put a razor-sharp edge on you. For years, I was diligent with the list above, but neglected building my close relationship with other men. There is a reason that men, even men who do not follow the Bible, quote this passage, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17 NIV).” One version is translated, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (NKJV).” Many men recognize this quote or saying to be true, not realizing that this is actually a proverb from the Bible.

Whether you follow the Bible or not, hopefully you have found this to be true in your life. If you have a close friend, a brother, then you know that maintaining a close relationship is vital to keeping your edge. If you do not have someone like this in your life, then most likely you have felt a struggle or something missing, or a loss in your effectiveness. A close brother can provide the necessary elements needed to help you stay effective, efficient, and safe as a man. A good friend who is wise, had great intentions toward you, and has a deep interest in your well-being can provide you with:

  • Wisdom
  • Accountability
  • Energy
  • Strength
  • Joy
  • Humility
  • Safety
  • Healthy outlet for emotions
  • Deep conversations
  • Great friendship

I read a statistic many years ago that has always remained with me and has always seemed to be true as I have talked with many men. The statistic said that less than one percent of all men over the age of 35 have at least one male friend that they can have deep and meaningful conversations with. Less than one percent!

Men, you have so much to give. You have so much inside of you. Finding a whetstone and staying sharp allows those deep things to surface in healthy ways. Your family needs you to stay sharp. They need you not to allow yourself to become worn, exhausted, non-effective, non-efficient, and unsafe. Find a whetstone or whetstones and keep your edge from becoming dull.