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People will go panning for hours in the hopes of finding the smallest flake of gold.  If you dig into Royal Ranger you will find something truly rare and quite possible the one thing you need to reach you highest potential.  I’m Commander Randy, and you’re listening to the Ranger Podcast.

In the last several years I have had the pleasure of being around blacksmith and bladesmiths from around the world.  This have given me a new perspective and appreciation for this analogy of Iron sharpening iron.

Proverbs 27:7 – As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

To strike a hammer against an anvil is no light weight work.

Friends give “heartfelt advice” (27: 9). Friends sharpen and challenge one another, being vulnerable and sensitive to one another but also making proposals for how the other should change. Friends regularly have constructive clashes that sharpen each party’s understanding of the world and of themselves. Therapists give you advice, but you don’t do it back. A supervisor may offer criticism, but it would not be appropriate to give equal criticism back. The mutuality of the deep counsel that friends can give is rare and something everyone needs.

Keller, Timothy; Keller, Kathy. God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life (p. 168). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

I have now had more than 18 years to think about this and Tim Keller is right.  Where can you find this type of council and deep friendship.  Yeah, I know that there are men ministries in every church, but not many are like the forge of Royal Rangers.

It takes years to develop great friendship, but to ask those friends to criticize and debate your efforts, ideas, and plans?  And then to have the courage to give the criticism your friend has ask for?  This is rare indeed.

When have you needed and asked for this type of council?  And, did it ever cause you to abandon you path?

How do you find these kinds of friends?

Consistency

Transparency

Sensitivity  

How do you cultivate friendship and fellowship inside the outpost?

Require Commitment

Require Devotions

Require Relationship

Have a Cadence of Accountability