The Furnace
By Grant Gaines
The Roman Empire is inarguably one of the most successful world powers to ever exist, but what made them so successful is up for debate. Was it the strong governmental leadership? That certainly had something to do with it. Was it the diverse economy that was held together with a common currency? That didn’t hurt either. What about the amazing infrastructure that allowed the entire empire to be connected through a vast array of roads? That was another huge factor to their success.
But of all the reasons we could point at to discover the secret of Rome’s success, I believe one of the most underrated reasons for Rome’s success was something known as the “testudo” formation. The testudo formation, which has been popularized in recent cinema, was a military alignment which featured an entire division of Roman soldiers who were packed so tightly together that they could lock their shields as if they were one soldier. This barricade of warriors would then move in unison to conquer their enemy because they were protected on all sides through the proximity of their comrades.
The secret to the testudo formation’s success was the tightness with which its soldiers would stand. In fact, as historians tell us, the men were packed so tightly that they constantly stepped on each other’s toes. As uncomfortable and painful as it must have been to be stepped on time after time throughout the course of a battle, the soldiers knew that if they were to spread out to avoid minor pain, they would be inviting major pain to themselves and their fellow countrymen. The nation’s success was based on the willingness of its warriors to be stepped on.
In the same way, our success as spiritual warriors is largely based on our willingness to be so tight with our fellow Christian brothers and sisters that they figuratively step on our toes.
Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Now I’ve never been a blacksmith or worked in a steel factory but I do know that when iron is being sharpened there’s a lot of friction, the furnace is hot, sparks fly, chunks of metal fall off, and huge collisions happen. That’s what Christian fellowship should look like – like iron sharpening iron.
But far too often this isn’t what fellowship with our fellow spiritual warriors look like, is it? Today’s fellowship has way too much “sweeping the dirt under the rug” and overlooking your problem so you’ll overlook mine rather than partaking in the difficult and often painful task of sharpening. Just look at the way we treat Little League sports today – everyone gets a trophy. As long as little Johnny or Jane shows up for practice they get rewarded. You don’t have to win, you don’t have to try hard, all you have to do is pay your yearly dues and you can have another trophy on your mantle.
Unfortunately, this mindset of rewarding mediocrity has gotten a hold of Christian fellowship as well. But we are warned in Proverbs 27:6 (NIV) that, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” In other words, if you’ve only complimented and never confronted your spouse, child, or best friend you have one of two scenarios on hand: either they are a perfect person who never needs constructive criticism (which we know is not true according to Romans 3:23) or you, according to the Lord in Proverbs 27:6, are treating them as an enemy and being, “…a willing party to their death” (Proverbs 19:18, NIV) by allowing them to continue in their destructive patterns.
The purpose of a relationship is not to make us comfortable but to make us better followers of Christ. This absolutely requires us to be kind to others, to, “…think of ways to motivate others towards acts of love and good deeds,” as Hebrews 10:24 (NIV) instructs, and to “…encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’…” (Hebrews 3:13, NIV).
But don’t forget that making someone a better follower of Christ also requires us to be a firm piece of iron for others to be sharpened on. It requires us to call a spade a spade, sin a sin, and to, “…speak the truth in love…” (Ephesians 4:15, NIV) even when it may be uncomfortable to do so. And as we faithfully follow God’s command to call others, “…out of darkness and into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV), we are fulfilling the instruction of Proverbs 24:11 (NIV) by, “Rescu[ing] those being led away to death; [and] hold[ing] back those staggering toward slaughter.”
God made no provision for you to make it through this Christian walk on your own – you need others to help you see your blind spots. I believe that’s why God made us have eyes only on the front of our head – it teaches us our need for others to help reach those places we can’t see or reach.
In fact, after God created the heavens and the earth He looked down on Adam and declared, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” in Genesis 2:18 (NIV) and then proceeded to make the first “accountability partner” in the form of Adam’s wife, Eve. And when the Lord spoke these words you have to remember that sin had not yet entered the world yet (the fall of man happens in Genesis 3). So if God in His absolute wisdom and knowledge decided that man should not be alone before temptation had ever knocked on Adam’s door, don’t you think that we who live in a broken, fallen, and sinful world need some accountability?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT) say that, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” Do you have an accountability partner in your life right now? Or maybe a better question, are you willing to go through the furnace to be made sharp, an, “…instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21, NIV)?
This all starts with accountability and accountability all starts with an openness and transparency with your close Christian comrades. After all, as James 5:16 (NIV) declares, “…confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” God listens to the prayers of those who willingly step into the furnace of sharpening.
Who’s your iron?
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
©Grant Gaines 2013
