Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.  If you do, they may trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.  Matthew 7:6 NIV

This scripture passage is an excerpt from the Sermon on the  Mount.  To fully understand it you must understand the context.  It comes after Jesus talks about judging others.  We are not to judge others, this He makes abundantly clear.  However, we are to use wisdom and discernment in dealing with others.

We should never give up praying for someone, but there are situations that only God can fix.  The pearls here refer to wisdom.  I am sure you have heard the saying, “pearls of wisdom”.  In speaking of dogs and pigs in this scripture, Jesus is referring to people who behave foolishly.  Proverbs 26:11,” As a dog return to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly”.

When we become Christians, we become Christ like.  We know that Jesus Christ doesn’t want anyone to suffer.  We know that Jesus Christ wants everyone to come to the Father through Him and be saved.  As Christians we want the same thing.  In Matthew 9:37, Jesus tells his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord to send out workers into His harvest field.”   Sometimes all we can do is plant a seed and hope that it takes root.  We must not become so focused on winning just one person to Christ that we neglect all those out there that are hungry for a relationship with Him.  We must live an exemplary life style.  Some people will just look at the way we live and say, “I want to live like that.”  Some people will look at the way we live and make fun of us.

When it comes to friends and close family members, we want to do all we can to lead them to Christ, but sadly we may not be able to do that.  We must be careful not to let them drag us down and we must be careful not to let them draw us into their web of confusion.  The devil is the author of confusion and we must avoid that.  We have to know where to draw the line.  God never intended for us to be door mats.  He intends for us to do what we can to lead others to Christ, but He gives us wisdom to walk away when necessary.

Yesterday, I had a strange experience.  I had been dealing with someone that I hoped would come to Christ and I have been doing what I could to win this person over.  This person asked me to do something that I could not do and then turned on me.  I was very upset, but needed to respond to their communication.  I began an email response and I prayed for God to lead me and help me to say nothing that I shouldn’t say and say only what He would have me to say.  The battery indicator on my laptop told me my battery was low so I plugged it in and completed the email.  As I proofread the email, I asked God to also proofread and let me know if anything needed to be added or deleted.  My laptop went dead.  I didn’t have the plug in far enough.  When I pulled the email back up, a scripture passage that I had included was not in there.  I started to add it back in, but did not have peace about it.  I sent the email and was later wondering why God might not have wanted me to share this scripture passage.  I have been sending this person scripture passages and devotionals at a time that I thought they could help.  Immediately it was as if I heard God say, “do not cast your pearls before swine”.  I had been handling this person with kid gloves and trying to do all I could to keep them happy.  The minute I couldn’t do exactly what they wanted, they turned on me.  God has released me and let me tell you, it is a sweet release.

Now I won’t give up on this person, I will continue to pray for them daily.  But I know that for me, it is time to move on.  In our daily walk with Christ, we will encounter many problems with people that allow the devil to control things in their life.  It’s hard to watch someone live a miserable life when you know the key to true peace and joy.  But sometimes, they just don’t want to hear it.  God gives us wisdom to use to help others.  He also gives us wisdom to know when it is time to move on.

In Matthew 10:12-15, Jesus tells his disciples, “As you enter the home, give it your greeting.  If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.  If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.  Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”

Pray to God to put people in your path that need to know the love of Christ and share with them what He has done in your life.  If they reject you, move on.  Remember the harvest is plentiful.  Remember to continue to pray for that person to change their heart and be receptive to Christ.

Have a great day!