Pearls, Swine, & Time

Don’t cast your pearls before swine. Jesus said that.

There’s a lesson in there about knowing when to walk away. Sometimes, we stick around too long, hoping to change hearts and minds. We repeat ourselves over and over, going above and beyond to try to convince people of the truth, only for those words to fall on deaf ears.

In the end, we leave hurt and broken from trying to change people who have no desire to listen to us. We try to get people to understand us who are committed to misunderstanding us. We fight to be heard and be known. We fight to be seen and for affirmation. We fight for love where there is none.

Read Matthew 7. Jesus says not to cast your pearls before swine right after giving a warning about judging others. Look:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

6 “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.

It almost seems out of place, doesn’t it?

It’s contrast. It’s judgment vs. discernment.

Here’s where I make the turn.

Please Be Kind