Blog #22 - Pearls Before Swine

When we are trying to speak to someone who is hostile to what we are saying, we are meant to stop speaking, walk away and rely on prayer.

I drive a Mini Cooper. It's not a good car. I've had so many problems with it that I honestly want to set it on fire. Unfortunately, it just doesn't make financial sense to sell it for now and so, I grin and bear it.

When my car breaks down, I take it to the same mechanic every time. He's not the cheapest but he's fair, respectful and incredibly knowledgeable. One thing I don't do, is try to fix it myself. I'm not a mechanic and I have no idea how to fix a car. It also wouldn't make sense to stand in the garage and tell my mechanic all the things I think he's doing wrong because, again, I know nothing about cars.

When he speaks to me about all of the things he did to fix my car, I sometimes have no idea what he's talking about and sometimes it seems wrong or ridiculous but I trust him enough to believe he did what he did for a purpose.

As Christians we are spiritual mechanics. Some of us are not as good as others and often have to refer back to the manual (the Bible) to solve a problem but we are certified and know the fundamentals of soul and spirit.

There are many people in this world who believe that they have the authority to speak on something they don't understand. When the mechanic diagnosis and communicates the problem to them, they believe they know better and often argue with them about it. A mechanic often has a short fuse with these people because they know that they know better but also understand that this person will never recognize their authority on the matter and back down.

When it comes to speaking to others about God, the same thing happens quite often. They respond with anger and are often deeply offended because they don't understand enough to fully comprehend what you're saying.

Matthew 7:6-7 says “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."

While it certainly sounds insulting, it is not intended to be. This verse is a warning to Christians to not waste time trying to convince hostile people. Not because they aren't worth the effort but because they will lash out and try to cause doubt in you and will harden your heart to the lost.

When we are trying to speak to someone who is hostile to what we are saying, we are meant to stop speaking, walk away and rely on prayer. We are to ask God to soften their hearts so they can understand. It's a difficult thing to do and if we aren't careful we can get caught in our pride and argue just to be right.

Our world is becoming much more hostile to the truth of Christ. It is also full of people who believe they understand things that they have very little knowledge of. It is on us as Christians to not let the world harden us to the idea of sharing our expertise but it is also on us to understand that our expertise is not our own. It is the spirit of God within us.

When non Christians become hostile, remember, prayer and patience goes a lot further than debate or arrogance.