As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another- proverbs 27:17

Recently I was speaking with my husband about someone who is really hard to love.  I am sure we all have someone who makes our lives difficult. After praying over this for a few days, I found myself in the garage and saw some sandpaper. I felt God tugging on my heart to grab hold of it. As I rubbed my thumb over its abrasive texture, I began to imagine a carpenter using it on a block of wood.  The sandpaper would polish down all the splinters and burrs on the wood leaving it smooth. It hit me-was God allowing this abrasive person in my life to smooth ME? Was this person God’s gift to me? Was I the one with the splinters, the one who when the outer layer is removed can display the beauty hidden within?

I kept rubbing this simple sandpaper with my thumb and thought of the spiritual works of mercy I had been speaking with my confirmation students about -bear wrongs patiently, forgive injuries, pray for the living and the dead. These were growing in me every time I encountered said person. I had begun to pray for this soul every time I encountered them.  When my thoughts were less than charitable, I would offer up my frustration, and pray for more charity, for more patience, more love, and more peace. We do not become stronger by doing nothing, or more of the same. We become stronger by pushing ourselves past our own limits. I kept imagining the carpenter lovingly sanding down the wood, if the wood could speak it would probably say it didn’t enjoy the process – but the outcome was really worth it.  What is my gentle carpenter creating me to be? What virtues are coming to life in this process? Every time I surrender myself to loving my neighbor as God loves, then something has to change.

I took this image to prayer for a few days.  The great aha moment wasn’t even revealed right away- The sandpaper itself became less abrasive as it is rubbed against the block of wood. They were both changed.  When we can radically love as Jesus loves, then not only are we changed, but those encountering that love are also changed. Slowly, mysteriously as only God can do it- that person’s exposure to patience, love and forgiveness can often mellow their sharpness as well.

I will keep praying and thanking God for all the sandpapers in my life and remember to humbly remind myself from time to time – that I too am somebody’s sandpaper.