The Blacksmith’s Discipline: Honing Godly MenSample

The Tool of Scripture

Watching a blacksmith work is like witnessing a mystery unfold before your eyes. Just as the blacksmith carefully crafts metal into a useful and beautiful object, so too does God use Scripture to shape and refine the hearts and minds of men who seek him.

The Bible likens Scripture to a double-edged sword, cutting through the noise of the world to reveal truth and wisdom (Heb. 4:12). In the hands of the Master Blacksmith, it becomes a tool for refining character, molding virtues, and sharpening spiritual discernment.

In God’s forge, he uses the fire of his Word to soften the hardened places in our hearts. Through the heat of conviction and the light of truth, Scripture exposes our flaws, inviting us to surrender to the transformative work of the Spirit. Scripture shapes us through repetition and practice like the rhythmic pounding of the blacksmith’s hammer. Through daily study and meditation, we allow Scripture to sink deep into our souls, reshaping our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Through discipline and perseverance, we become more like Christ—strong, resilient, and purposeful.

But even when they know the adventure and transformation that awaits them, most men never enter the forge to experience the tool of Scripture. They have a hard time understanding how to use this ancient tool. The Bible is both inviting and intimidating. It’s like a blacksmith’s hammer that we’re eager to swing. But it’s also like a grinding wheel that we are a little scared to submit to. Like the blazing heat of the fire, we are fearful to approach it.

While the Bible continues to be the bestselling and most-distributed book of all time, with nine out of ten US homes possessing a Bible, only a very small percentage of men pick it up and read it even once a week. The tool merely sits untouched. When it comes to the Bible, men are afraid to admit they don’t know what to do with it. So, they let the tool sit unused on the shelf. Let’s uncomplicate all this by learning what to do and how to use it.

Start diving in—not only into prayer but also into Scripture. Combine them into a single time with God. They are not unconnected disciplines. Let them naturally combine. Pray and read. Then, read and pray.

Don’t pass over Scripture. Instead, be forged and refined by it.

For Reflection: What has hindered you from engaging with Scripture as a tool for spiritual growth and transformation more than you do right now?

Prayer Starter: God, your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Thank you for meeting with me as I open my Bible…