Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.   Matthew 7:6 NASB

As human beings, we all want to feel loved. We want to feel special. We want to feel that we are a number one priority to those who love us or claim to love us. Back in the 80’s Urban Cowboy was a very popular movie. Mickey Gilley had a song featured in this movie called Looking for Love. The lyrics said, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.”

Many times we look for love in the wrong places. We seek approval of men rather than God. In Galatians 1:10, Paul said that if he was still seeking to please men he could not be a bondservant of Christ. We should always strive to please God. Proverbs 16:7 tells us that when our ways please the Lord, even our enemies will be at peace with us.

We look for love in wrong relationships, in alcohol, in drugs, in sexually immoral situations, but where we need to be looking for love is in Jesus Christ. He has laid His life down for us even while we were sinners (Romans 5:8). John 15:13 tells us that there is no greater love. As sinners, we are Christ’s enemy, but still He chose to lay His life down so that we may be saved from eternal damnation.

When we find love, we want to share that love. We want others to be as happy as we are. Now if we were looking for love in the wrong places, that love may be short-lived. But when we find love in our Lord and Savior, that is an eternal love.

I don’t know about you, but when something awesome happens to me, I want to share it with others. I had suffered for 11 years with migraine headaches and itching on my arms that sometimes was unbearable. I finally listened to my friend and went to her doctor who was a naturopathic doctor. She resolved my issues within a couple months. I went from having migraines from 10-15 days a month to having a migraine one or two days every 6-8 weeks. I also got the itching under control. I was so excited and pleased with the results that I often refer others to her when I hear they are having health problems. I wanted others to experience the healing and relief that I had experienced in my situation.

It’s like that when we discovers God’s love, we want to share it with others. Some will accept it and receive it, some will listen politely and continue on about their way and others will mock you or misuse you. Some may think that because you are a Christian, this makes you a doormat.

Our scripture passage today tells us that we should not cast our pearls after swine. God doesn’t want His children to be abused or misused or mistreated. He told His disciples in Matthew 10:14 that if anyone did not welcome them or receive their words that when they left that house or city to shake the dust off their feet. He went on to say that the judgement for them would be worse than it was for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Maybe you’ve spent a lifetime of looking for love in the wrong places. Maybe you have suffered neglect, abuse, or abandonment. But know that Christ will never forsake you. Turn to Him and seek His love. His approval should be all that matters. Pray to Him for discernment in your relationships with others.

Christ freely offers the truest and purest love there is to us. It’s there for the taking. Look for love in the right place and let Him work out everything else with the other relationships in your life.

Have a great day!