by Tammy Phillips
September 2, 2021
“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17 NKJV)
Iron is a lustrous, malleable, ductile, silvery metal. The element symbol, Fe, was shortened from the Latin word ‘ferrum‘ meaning ‘firmness’. It has a melting point: 2800°F and a boiling point: 5182°F. Pure iron is fairly soft and can easily be shaped and formed when hot.
It is the second most abundant metal element in the Earth’s crust and is primarily used to produce steel, one of the most important structural materials in the world. It is strongly magnetic. Exposed to a strong magnetic field, any piece of iron can be magnetized. Scientists believe that the Earth’s core is made up of about 90% iron. The magnetic force produced by this iron is what creates the magnetic north and south poles. (Bell, Terence. “Metal Profile: Iron.” ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/metal-profile-iron-2340139.)
IRON IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN LIFE. IT is in every body cell. Around 70% of the iron in the human body is found in the hemoglobin of red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to all the other tissues. Iron deficiency in humans leads to anemia, which forces the heart to pump harder to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood. (https://azironsupply.com/2020/02/19/ten-fun-facts-about-iron/)
We all need “iron” friends that have high melting and boiling points. We need companions that are strong under fire, but are also soft, flexible, and can be easily shaped in the fire. We, gals, need lustrous friends that help us sparkle. We need magnetic mates who keep us aligned north to south, straight up, like the world and it poles. We need iron confidants that help up us breathe in Jesus and breathe out Satan. Most of all require strong, firm friends in our lives that keep us on the straight and narrow. Iron brothers and sisters are essential to our spiritual life.
I was recently talking with my iron sister, Kristi Stephens. She is all of five foot tall, but a spiritual giant on fire for the Lord. She would tell you that she was a six-foot woman trapped in a 5’2” body. I confided to her that I awoke feeling this-way-and-that. I had some symptoms that were not good. I mentioned that I thought, “Oh, no!” She immediately corrected me as an iron friend would do. She emphatically said, “We do not do ‘Oh, no!’”
“Oh no!”
“Uh oh.”
“I am afraid…”
“This is killing me.”
“I am worried…”
“I am troubled…”
“I am upset…”
These are all statement that are born out of fear and not faith. The word of God says:
DO NOT FEAR
“Fear not, for I [am] with you; Be not dismayed, for I [am] your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)
DO NOT BE DISMAYED…which is the “OH NO!”
“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God [is] with you wherever you go.”” (Joshua 1:9 NKJV)
DO NOT WORRY
“Do not worry about your life… Do not worry about tomorrow… do not worry about how or what you should speak. (Matthew 6:25, 6:34, 10:19
Kristi and I, as iron women for God, choose to obey His word. She sharpened me by reminding me that we do not do what God tells us to do not do. “We don’t do, ‘Oh no!”’
I enCOURAGE you to find your iron. Find someone who will hold you accountable to the word of God. I encourage you not take the word of God lightly. Be obedient to His word and remember, “WE DON’T DO, ‘Oh no!”’ Instead, we call out to Him in faith
Complete in Him 