Pigs and Pearls

I love learning new insights, especially those found in the Bible that reveal more about God, His character, values and ways.  The danger in being too eager to learn new things is being so thirsty that I inadvertently drink dirty water without knowing it.  Therefore, I must confirm that any new insight is consistent with what is taught in the rest of Scripture.  Here is how this works.   

Until recently I discovered I had been misinterpreting Jesus’ admonition Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you (Matthew 7:6, ESV).  As so many others, I used to think this verse contrasted the worth of dogs and holiness as well as pearls and pigs.  To me Jesus was telling us not to waste giving a dog what is holy or a pig a pearl.  When I consider that interpretation with what God did in sending Jesus, most certainly a priceless pearl, to earth where He would be rejected and eventually crucified, I realized my interpretation totally misrepresented God’s heart towards the unholy, those who we might consider spiritual swine. 

After pointing out the difference between the spirit of the world and God’s Spirit and how a believer is given the Spirit of God, Paul wrote  … people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means (1 Corinthians 2:14, NLT2).  Among other things, Paul adds clarity to the heart of Jesus’ words about the dogs and pigs.  A pig’s inability to digest a pearl leads him to trample on the pearls, so a person without the Spirit lacks the capacity to digest spiritual truth leading him/her to turn on Christianity.  Both point out the folly of being insensitive to the capacity of others.

When Jesus sent His disciples to preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand, He told them  Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16, NLT2).  Doves are harmless and snakes are shrewd in that they wait for the right time to strike their prey.  His point is, pushing truth down someone’s throat does not represent Jesus’ heart.  Instead, prepare their mind and heart by framing questions or otherwise waiting until they something indicating their heart is open to hear the gospel.  Isn’t that exactly what Jesus did with the woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria (John 4:7-26)? 

I wonder how many times I have inadvertently tried to force feed my young daughters, friends or acquaintances a spiritual pearl they were not capable to digest at that time.  Could it be some of our well-intended evangelistic outreaches have been misguided by our zeal to count souls saved instead of converted hearts?  Could it be what leads our children to leave the home and church at the same time is that while their minds understood the rationale of the gospel, their inner being was unable to absorb how the spiritual truth applied to them?   

I suspect too many Christians are either insensitive to one’s spiritual receptivity or are too concerned about a relationship to risk taking the opportunity the Spirit has opened to introduce them to Christ.  Holy Spirit, please help us to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves in leading our friends to You and making disciples.  Help us to express Your patience and love for the lost as well as Your boldness as we lead others to You. 

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