If the Iron is Blunt, Whet the Edge

“If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.” (Ecclesiastes 10:10)

Sound advice from King Solomon, the wisest person in biblical history: More strength is required using a dull ax, so sharpen it. Much like using a dull ax, carrying out a task without the necessary skill or knowledge requires more effort, and the desired outcome will be lacking. Wisdom says to first hone the skills needed in that area before taking on the challenge. God will not assign you a task that He didn’t first equip you to carry out. But to succeed, you must willingly surrender to His will and “sharpening” in your life.

Getting much knowledge doesn’t make one wise. Sifting through what one has experienced and learned, separating the needless from the beneficial, and applying that understanding and knowledge for practical use is wisdom. Giving the reverence due to the Creator is the beginning of such learning. (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).

As we journey this life, we gain wisdom from different sources: successes, failures, educational training, nature, people, and circumstances. But God’s Word is the most excellent resource because it teaches truth, exposes what is wrong and how to correct the wrong, instructs us how to be right with God—it equips us for right-living (2 Timothy 3:16–17). Yielding to the Bible’s truths demands setting ourselves aside and bowing to God’s authority. Not doing so is one reason why we often repeat life’s failures. After processing the information we receive, we then decide what is honorable to God and valuable to our Christian walk and apply it—live it out daily. Surrender to God’s whetting stone to sharpen you for His glory and success in life.