Good evening and happy Sabbath! I hope this note finds you all doing well.  Just a reminder that we have the Ladies Tea after services in Charlotte tomorrow.  If you have not already, ladies, please read chapters 1-4 of the book of Esther.

Tea Time

When you say that phrase in the US, most people think of the time at which they would start a round of golf, aka ‘Tee Time.’ But of course in the UK, it has an entirely different meaning.  

While not as popular as it once was, Tea was a common practice in the late 1800s and some date it as far back as 1738.  In essence, it was a short break for a quick snack between lunch and dinner, and quickly became a social staple of high society.

Ladies Tea

Here in Charlotte, Columbia and Hickory, the Ladies Tea has become a custom for the women of church (all ages welcome!) to gather together for a spiritual discussion.  I have the privilege of sitting in on this round of Teas as I am presenting material on the book of Esther, a topic I cover at Ambassador Bible College.

While the Teas are specifically designed for ladies of our congregation, they highlight an important practice - iron sharpening iron.  Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Be sharp - not dull or jagged

A sharp cutting instrument is truly a useful tool.  If it’s too dull, it can’t cut properly.  If its edge is jagged, the cuts will be uneven and quite painful.  And while we don’t want to be ‘cutting’ on one another, that’s sort of the whole point. Our conversations - particularly spiritual ones - should neither be dull, nor painful.  

At the Tea tomorrow, I look very much forward to the conversation and insight our ladies have to share.  I pray the men’s conversations will be edifying as well and that each Sabbath, each of us can all be the kind of iron that sharpens other iron!