Tweezer Wielding Friend

This may be one of the weirdest blog concepts so far.....if you are not of the right generation or gender you may not get this...might even find it gross.  But bear with me.
Those old enough to understand when I talk about pesky, dark, coarse hair that begins to sprout in places NOT intended for those of  the fairer...less hairier sex will understand, if not relate.

Have you had that friend who would get close enough with her tweezers to pluck that one hair that is driving you crazy!  You can feel it on your chin but can't see it in any angle in the mirror.
They are willing to get right up close and personal...and it doesn't ooog them out, or maybe it does but they love you enough!
 Even close enough to see every blemish...but they stick with it and they pluck out that nasty, irritating hair.

I am fortunate enough to have several friends like that (literally willing to pluck a chin hair 😉) but even more importantly, as Christian women, willing to get up close and personal..to see my "warts"..my sins and all and pluck them out!
Or at least help me, when I can't see them..but by my actions and behavior they see they are there.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother [sister] is born for a time of adversity. Proverbs 17: 17

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother [sister]. Proverbs 18:24

We are to remove anything that hinders us from walking as closely with Christ as possible, but sometimes we don't see what our closest friends may see.  OR we may see it, but decide not to remove it; too uncomfortable, too painful, or we are just used to having it there.  BUT a true friend, will come to us in love and help us.  Hopefully as gently and lovingly as possible, but let's be honest, sometimes it just HURTS!

We HAVE to remember that it is for God's glory that those ugly, dark little sins be removed....as soon as we are aware they are there.   So they don't grow....just as I spoke about last week in Beware the Frozen Heart.

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

 Now, we may be the friend wielding the tweezers!  WE MUST BE CAREFUL! We must make sure that this isn't just us wanting to remove something WE don't like from our friend, just because we may not like it.  IT MUST BE DONE with Christ's wisdom, Christ's direction and Christ's love.!  

 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.  Matthew 7:1-5

You must pray and make sure that it isn't something in you first, that you have projected onto your friend. That nothing is hindering you from following Christ.  It is a huge task, being called to "pluck" a friend's sin and should not be taken lightly!  Those "tweezers" you hold in your hand are mighty in power, and only used for God's purpose will they be successful!

I pray that you have someone in your life that is close enough to God and to you to come at you with tweezers if necessary!  And that you are that kind of friend as well.  That you seek Christ daily and follow his direction....and IF you have to grab your tweezers it is done with gentleness, love and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit that comes from a close walk with Christ!

Just a note:  Thank you God for giving me friends that aren't afraid to pick up those tweezers "in Jesus name"!!