What do you do when you want to do something new or better?

I hope you’ve learned that it’s always best to get some help.

Athletes understand this.  They know that they will get better when they train with others and play against those that challenge them.

Business owners understand this.  They know that they need to bounce ideas off other owners to see what has worked and what might work for their businesses.

YouTube has millions of views on videos that show you how to do something.  You can watch experts in almost any area as they show you how to do what they do.

Even though many of us want to be self-sufficient, you have to admit that you can grow and get better with the help of others.  In fact, it is even better when you are growing and developing with a friend.  After all, I think we all resonate with wanting what we hear in the classic Toy Story song, “You’ve got a friend in me.”

As Christians, we need to realize this as well.  God gave us the church to help us grow together, serve together, learn together, worship together, and accomplish more together.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 even tells us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

We need each other for support and encouragement, and we need each other to help us grow better.  Another way of saying that is that we “sharpen” one another.  Proverbs 27:17 puts it like this: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

God never meant for us to do life alone.  He also never meant for us to live out our faith alone.  We are even told in Romans 12:5 that we “belong to one another.”

With whom are you growing?

Who are you helping grow?

We would do well to find a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy in our lives.  We need a Paul who can help us learn and grow.  We need a Barnabas who can encourage us and spur us forward.  We need a Timothy who we can help.  We need one another.

I challenge you to embrace and enjoy your fellow Christians.  I challenge you to learn from and help your fellow Christians.  I challenge you to sharpen your iron.

When Dr. Jay Cook is asked to share a little of himself; his reply is, “Good question.  I ask it a lot.” His delight is sharing that he is a blessed man – married to a wonderful woman (Kristi Cook) – and awed by his two amazing kids (Jameson & Amelia Rose). He has served in ministry for over 30 years and loves to help others in any way he can. Jay is the Associational Missions Strategist for the Leake County Baptist Association, and a part of an amazing new church (3:16 church) in Canton, MS.  He also helps other churches (as he is able) through revivals, conferences, or however God leads.  He shares his thoughts of a man just trying to live for Jesus (and wanting to help others do the same) through his blog at Dr. Jay Cook.

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Books by Dr. Jay Cook