The Cutting Edge

Solomon, the wisest person in biblical history, said it takes more strength using a dull ax, so sharpen it: “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). Carrying out a duty without the necessary skill or knowledge requires more effort, and the desired outcome will be lacking. God will not give you a task that He doesn’t first equip you to complete. But to succeed, you must willingly bend to His will and “sharpening.”

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; giving the reverence due to our Creator and bowing to His authority is the beginning of learning (Proverbs 9:10; 1:7). Insight is not gained only by gathering knowledge but by sifting through what one has experienced and learned, separating the needless from the beneficial, and applying that understanding for practical use. God’s Word is the most excellent resource for learning because it teaches truth, exposes what isn’t right and how to correct it—the Bible equips us for right-living (2 Timothy 3:16–17). A wise person receives God’s truths and lives them out daily for His glory, surrendering to His whetting stone for success in life.