iron sharpens iron

I know a lot of people. I have many friends.
But how many of them do I really influence? Do I encourage them, do I challenge them, do my interactions with them bring them closer to God?
I want to deepen my relationships. I want to be a river, not a flood. I want to intentionally implore hearts.
I think about the people who most impact me-- they speak truth into my life, they challenge my thoughts and call me out on my mistakes, they ask me hard questions, they pray for me and with me, they invest in my passions. I want to be that for someone(s).
I want to know the people around me and be known by them. It is too easy to live in a state of neutrality-- to never really know or influence the souls that we are in contact with on a daily basis.
It feels unnatural, often uncomfortable, to inquire into what is hidden beneath the surface. It becomes a habit to assume that someone who needs to say something will say it without being asked. Sadly, there are hearts who have no platform.