Psalm 34:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

Think

We've all seen ventriloquists alter their voices to make it seem as if their "dummy" is the one speaking. This ability is commonly known as "throwing" one's voice because the ventriloquist is always in control of what's being said. Similarly, God "threw" his voice and it appeared to Samuel that Eli was calling his name. God used Eli, a "dummy" when it came to discernment, to direct Samuel on how to listen for the Lord's call and respond to his voice. This proves that God can use anyone, anywhere, at any time to speak into our lives! Have you ever thought of God as a ventriloquist throwing his voice to communicate, to impart his wisdom to you? It could be someone in your life or a complete stranger, but nonetheless, God has great things to say. So, how's your hearing? Are you attuned to his voice? Remember, God loves using ordinary people like us to say extraordinary things. So, as iron sharpens iron, we, too, can help sharpen the lives of others!

Act

Ask God to help you hear his voice and discern that it's him when speaking to you through others (he will never say anything contrary to Scripture). Also, pray for him to use you to speak into the lives of others.

Pray

Dear Lord, thank you for speaking into my life in so many ways. Help me to recognize your voice, no matter the source, and apply the wisdom of your words. And, use my voice to speak into the lives of others. In Jesus' name, Amen.