Pearls and Pigs - Matthew 7:6

"Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls before pigs. Pigs will only trample on them, and dogs will turn to attack you."   Full Text

Key Thought

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Wow! Jesus uses really strong language here. At first, he seems to be breaking the very command that he just gave. But instead, Jesus is reminding us that being non-judgmental does not mean we are undiscerning, wasteful, and silly. We are to recognize that there are some so hardened to receiving the message that they will not listen; we are to quit wasting our time in trying to convince them. He chooses the powerful imagery of a well-known proverb to make his point. He says similar things in a softer way elsewhere, but bottom line; there comes a time when we realize that people will not hear the Gospel message. Their repeated determination not to hear and their unwillingness to respond doesn't mean we are to try harder, but simply to try elsewhere! Being a nonjudgmental person does not mean we refuse the "see the handwriting on the wall" and keep wasting our efforts on those who refuse to hear.

Today's Prayer

Father of all mercy, give me wisdom to know when you have opened a door for me to reach out to my friends, family and neighbors, and when to move on to others. I don't want to give up too quickly on those who might respond, but neither do I want to simply try to be more hardheaded than those refusing to hear and further annoy them by continuing to try. Please lead me to those who are ready to hear of your grace this week. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses with Jesus (key verses in bold)

1 “Don’t judge other people, or you will be judged. 2 You will be judged in the same way that you judge others, and the amount you give to others will be given to you.
3 “Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. 5 You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend’s eye.

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6 “Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls before pigs. Pigs will only trample on them, and dogs will turn to attack you.

7 “Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
9 “If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? 10 Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? 11 Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him!
12 “Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.