As Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Iron tools are only fit for using if they have been sharpened by rubbing against another piece of iron. I have discovered in my own life that a person's countenance/personality is only fit for God to use when it has been sharpened by rubbing against another person's countenance/personality.
My roommate, Olga, was the iron in my life. Our personalities were very similar and yet very different. She was completely Filipino. I was completely American. She was small, petite, quiet spoken, and acted like a lady. I was medium sized, not quiet spoken, and rode my bike all over Agoo wearing my walking shorts. I could be a lady when I needed to. But not all the time. She knew the importance of being a lady all the time -- even when riding a bike with walking shorts on. I still had to learn that.
God put the two of us together for a purpose. God used our friendship and personalities to sharpen us for the plans He had for the way that each of us was going to take. If we had not lived together for those 8 months and had not had the struggles that we did together, our lives after Agoo would have been more difficult.
God was preparing me to live in the Philippines for the rest of my life. God was preparing her to live with people from all nations of the world for the rest of her life. It was important that we lived together. It was a very difficult and yet very important time for both of us.
We are both better women because of our friendship. She is one of my dearest friends on earth. We are good to keep in touch. We email and we even call each other to pray together no matter where we are in the world. And she is always off somewhere telling someone about Jesus. I am sure that she even tells them how He changed her and prepared her for the way that she would take.
God is like that. He knows just what I need even when I don't know it. What a comfort.
