Stropping the Edge

September 24, 2023

I learned something tonight from my son. Matthew’s hobby is forging knives. He prides himself on only sending out of his shop a knife that is literally razor sharp. He often tests them on his arm, which is usually bald. He said that a razor isn’t dulled by losing its edge. What happens is in the act of shaving, the resistance of the hairs puts a microscopic waviness into the edge. It doesn’t need sharpening; it needs stropping, which straightens out that microscopic waviness. After each use, the barber strops the edge on leather to realign the edge.

He went on. “Life is like that. We don’t always need a major grinding, but God uses the daily spiritual disciplines of Scripture, prayer, meditation, and worship to straighten out the irregularities that happen in day to day living.” Keeping sharp for God happens on the microscopic level more often than in the major readjustments. 

Jesus told us as much when he was washing his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. Peter at first remonstrated, saying that he should have been washing Jesus’ feet instead. Jesus replied by telling Peter that if he refused, he would have no part of Jesus, whereupon Peter blurted out that he wanted Jesus to wash his head and hands as well. 

Jesus replied, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean” (John 13:10). Notice the word Jesus used: a bath. When you have been cleansed by the washing of the Word and the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:26), you don’t need another bath, but as you walk this world, your feet get dirty. We need the regular foot washing of the Holy Spirit that comes in tiny doses through these daily disciplines. 

My spiritual edge needs regular stropping to straighten out and stay sharp. I’ll bet yours does, too.