The Pig in all of us...

So here is a thought....what if I'm not very good at understanding the heart of Jesus?

I was prepping for the sermon last week and, after reading some text in Matthew, it occurred to me that I might kinda stink at that. Let me tell you what I mean.

Every now and again I see some things in scripture that I just have never seen before.  Sometimes I even see some things that I have never even heard before :)  Heresy much?  Seriously though - it seems that my presuppositions have way more control over what God is trying to tell me than I may have ever realized.  I was raised in a Christian home with awesome Christian parents.  We went to church 3 times a week for the first 18 years of my life.  Granted, I didn't go any for the next 8 years - but that's another story altogether.  I digress.

During all of those formative years in my life as a young man and as a follower of Christ I picked up certain things.  Some good - some not so good.  I have been trying to lay some of those down ever since.  I developed habits - ways of reading certain text that, while certainly not being wrong, did not represent the full heart of Jesus.

So have you. This is probably unavoidable.  Although, I'm not sure that doing life in a bubble would work for me.  That means that the outside influences in my life will always - well, influence me. But these days I'm trending towards a more balanced look.  My hope is that I can grow into a man that is influenced by what's inside of me....The Kingdom.  I also hope that those external influences in my life confirm what I'm hearing, saying, and learning as truth.

So you might be asking "what examples do you have sir?".....here you go.

“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy.  Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you."  Matthew 7:6

Here is what happened to me when I was reading this text.  Minding my own business - I was working tirelessly (perspective) on my sermon for Sunday.  Of course, this was late Saturday night for you non-pastors out there.  I've managed to limit God's voice in my life, where sermons are concerned, to the hours between 8pm - 3am on Saturday nights.  This is a mistake....but one I continue to make.  However, I digress - again.  Back to the story.

Minding my own business when God spoke loudly and clearly to me. He asked me this question.  "Chris - what are YOUR pearls?"  I gave my typical response to God when he asks me tough questions - I said "Huh?"  He said - "Yes - what are YOUR pearls.  What are those little treasures that I have given to you and you alone?"  I began to list those truths that have taken a lifetime to learn.  I began to share with God (as if He didn't know) those incredibly personal moments....the moments that I knew he was talking to me - as a Father would to a son.  I recounted the times He pulled me aside and taught me deeper things.  Things that aren't even repeatable sometimes.  Things that there are no words for.  Life changing theology that came directly from Him.  These are the times He "helped" my belief.

I began to see His point.  He did, as He normally does, clarify further though.

Then I heard Him say something that will scar me forever.  He said - "sometimes that stuff is just between you and me.  There are some things that others need to know that can only come from me. It was and is the same way for you Chris. You see when others hear from me, those things, will become THEIR pearls. No one tramples their own pearls.  But I might need to make them Holy first - the same thing I'm doing with you."  

Our conversation progressed.  I saw the text differently.  It'll never read the same again.

I walked away with a profound understanding of the heart of Jesus in this text.  He is teaching his disciples the art of disciple making.  To paraphrase what I believe the point of this text is - Jesus is saying "I didn't tell you to not give them ANYTHING - just don't give them YOUR pearls.  Try dinner first - maybe even a cigar."

I realized in that moment that the worst struggles I have faced so far in my Journey of building Disciples come when I'm busy trying to get others to swallow "my pearls".  Any yes, there have been times that doing this actually provoked an attack.  As it turns out, people don't usually attack me when I'm feeding them pizza or steak.....just pearls.  If you are looking for a model for ministry that works - try this one.  Leave your pearls in your pocket for a moment.  Stop taking them out and polishing them in front of everyone.  You will find you have dropped them in the mud.

Remember a pearl isn't very valuable to a pig.  But even a pig responds to human touch, shelter, food, and warmth.  Even a pig will give you its attention and devotion when you can first show it these things.

Yessir - I can do that.