Iron Sharpens Iron
“Michael had faith. Not the kind you talked about, but the kind you lived. It was what made him dangerous, and what made him good.” -Harry to Michael
“You don’t have to believe what I believe, Harry. But you do have to believe in something. Stand for it. Live for it. That’s what matters.” -Michael to Harry
I was given some inspiration for this blog post, one of our steadfast readers, my uncle Dave, suggested that I write about one of our mutually favorite series The Dresden Files. Having gotten back into reading lately (3 books in just over a week already) I took his suggestion and felt it prudent to talk about two of my favorite characters.
One of the most enduring relationships in The Dresden Files is the friendship between Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard-for-hire, and Michael Carpenter, a Knight of the Cross. On the surface, the two men could not be more different. Harry is sarcastic, cynical, and often reckless. He lives in a basement apartment, scrapes by as a private investigator, and rarely thinks more than two steps ahead. His magic is powerful, but it is messy, tied to his emotions, and often leaves collateral damage in its wake. Michael, on the other hand, is calm, steady, and rooted in his Catholic faith. He is a husband and father who draws his strength from God, wielding Amoracchius, the Sword of the Cross, with both courage and humility. Where Harry leans into raw instinct, Michael tempers every action with prayer and conviction. Their approaches to life could not be more different, yet together they embody the truth of Proverbs 27:17: Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Harry provides a certain amount of grit to the friendship as he embodies passion, stubbornness, and raw drive. He charges headlong into danger, often without a plan, because his heart will not let him stand by when someone is suffering. Michael recognizes that fire and calls it good, but he also insists on tempering it. He reminds Harry that passion without discipline can destroy more than it saves. We see this clearly in Grave Peril. When the nightmare spirit wreaks havoc and Harry’s faerie godmother Lea tempts him to unleash darker power, Harry nearly loses himself in anger and desperation. He wants to burn everything down just to win. Michael anchors his friend. Sword in hand, he reminds Harry that they are there to protect, not to destroy. Michael’s presence keeps Harry from surrendering to rage and channels his strength into something noble. Without that steadying hand, Harry might have won the battle but lost his soul.
The sharpening goes both ways. Michael’s faith is unshakable, and he never doubts God’s power or goodness. Harry sharpens him by helping Michael live that faith in a way that engages with the real world rather than staying apart from it. Michael’s instinct can sometimes be to wait and trust entirely in providence. Harry pushes him to see the value of strategy, preparation, and action in the moment. This isn’t lacking in faith, but showing another side to it. Harry helps Michael become a more active part of God’s plan, stepping into danger and uncertainty rather than sitting on the sidelines. This dynamic comes to the forefront in Death Masks. When Harry and Michael face Nicodemus and the Denarians in the sewers of Chicago, the odds are impossible. Surrounded and outnumbered, they fight back-to-back. Michael’s sword blazes with holy fire, cutting through the Fallen. Harry unleashes raw magical force to keep them from being overwhelmed. Harry’s pragmatism keeps them moving and sharp, while Michael’s faith keeps them steady and unafraid. Each sharpens the other in that crucible. Alone, either man could have fallen, but together, they endure.
Their friendship also changes Michael’s role as a father. When his oldest daughter Molly chooses a dangerous path into the supernatural, Michael could have tried to shield her entirely or withdrawn in grief. Instead, through Harry’s influence, he sees another way. Harry chooses to mentor Molly, guiding her through her mistakes and teaching her responsibility. Michael learns to trust that God’s plan for his daughter may unfold in ways he had never imagined. Harry does not replace Michael’s faith, but he helps him engage it more fully in the world where his family lives and struggles.
At the same time, Harry cannot ignore Michael’s witness. Even when Harry jokes about Michael’s faith or admits that he does not share it, he cannot deny the fruit it bears. Michael is faithful to his wife, devoted to his children, and fearless in battle because he fights not for glory but for others. For Harry, who often feels alone and tempted by darker powers, Michael is a living reminder that there is a better way. Michael never demands Harry’s belief, but he shows him how to live by conviction. That example reshapes Harry’s own moral compass, even when he does not recognize it as faith.
Together, Harry and Michael reveal that real friendship is not about sameness but about mutual sharpening. Michael helps Harry see that belief matters, even when it is imperfect or still forming. Harry helps Michael live that belief in the grit of a broken world. Each keeps the other from extremes. Harry is pulled back from despair and recklessness. Michael is pulled away from passivity and into action. Iron sharpens iron.
At the end of the day, The Dresden Files is not just about magic duels and supernatural wars. It’s about how friendship changes us. Harry and Michael show us that we need friends who will challenge us when we grow careless, who will encourage us when the fight feels too heavy, and who will stand with us in the darkest hours. That is what it means to be sharpened. That is what it means to be a true friend.
Harry needed Michael’s steady faith and Michael needed Harry’s bold action. What side do you lean toward: reckless courage or quiet passivity? How might God be calling you to balance those extremes by letting a friend sharpen you? Who is that friend for you? Pray about it as you go about your week and give thanks to God for that friend. If none of your friends are challenging you to grow, ask for God to bring those types of friends into your life.
Yours in Christ,
The Other AK Guy
