Sharpen the Knife
I find it extremely satisfying when I pick up any kind of knife, and it does the job for which it is designed. Conversely, I am greatly disappointed when I go to cut something such as fruit or when cutting the skin off a fish or fat off a piece of meat, and I find myself grinding into the cutting board and tearing things unevenly.
So, by pulling the knife’s blade against the whet stone, I sharpen the knife. I do this frequently, so it is always ready to get the job done, quickly and efficiently.
The same goes for a person’s mental, emotional, physical and spiritual life, although on a much higher and more important level – especially the spiritual. A person’s mental, emotional and physical health and well-being flow from their spiritual core.
The Bible puts it this way, “As a person thinks, so are they”. The spirit of a person, (sometimes referred to as the subconscious or ‘core’), is the hidden place where human awareness and acuity begin. Interestingly, the spirit of a person can be considered to be ‘alive or dead’, ‘full of light’ or ‘full of darkness’, and this will determine how a person will think (the mind), how they will feel (the emotions), how they will make decisions (the will), and how they will act (the physical body).
The Bible, when speaking to this matter, compares this inner person to the ‘eye’. “The eye,(the mind’s eye or one’s view of matters) is the lamp(one’s guiding principles) of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, (healthy and sincere with a single undivided focus, i.e. without a secret “double agenda”), your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad,(i.e., evil, bad, wicked, malicious, slothful; emphasizing the inevitable agonies and misery, that always go with evil), your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! (see Matthew 6:22-23).
One must sharpen, or hone his or her spirit, mind, will, emotions and body to a fine edge in order to be able to live the life for which you have been designed and efficiently attain a purposeful and satisfying life.
It is your choice, of course. It is Light or darkness.
Living in darkness equates to a negative attitude, a lack of basic needs, friend-lessness, hopelessness, resentment, anger, depression which can often lead to death.
Living in the light can bring a positive outlook, a steady supply of what you need physically, mentally, emotionally in terms of friendships, hope for the future, gratitude, joy and happiness, a bright spirit and an abundant life.
Living in the Light does not come automatically. For most people it takes an awareness, and the desire to live a meaningful and purposeful life, coupled with discipline, hard work and endurance.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
”In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. (1st Peter 1:6-7).
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