Pearls Before Swine

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets.

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.  And those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:6, 12-14)

I’ve read: “When Jesus said not to cast pearls before swine, he was instructing his followers to be wise and discerning about their relationships.  He was saying, ‘Consider the source.’  It doesn’t sound ‘Christian’ to call someone a swine, but all that means is someone who doesn’t value something Christ values.  All of us, in one way or another, have been or are swine.  All of us in one way or another have trampled something Jesus treasures.  Most often, we don’t even know we are doing it.  That is being a bit of a pig, isn’t it now?”

I’ve also read: “Pigs are smart, amazing animals, but they are some of the hardest livestock on fencing (for our purposes we might think about relationship boundaries) and they can wreck a ton of damage on the other farm animals (consider the damage self-centered people bring to those who love them). Jesus said to watch out that you don’t cast your pearls before swine because you will lose your treasure and then to make matters worse, the pigs will turn on you and trample you."

So, let’s not throw our pearls before swine.  One of our treasures is our integrity.  If we lose it by playing to the whims of those who wish to include us in their group of ne’er-do-wells, then we lose that treasure to those wanting to trample it.  The swine!

Deacon David Pierce