"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."
—Matthew 7:6
I had the strangest conversation with the guy from my job. For many days I just ignored him. It was easier than trying to talk to him. Not because I held any hostility against him or anything(well maybe a little, but I didn't tell him to rot in hell). I just don't quite understand vicious and vile people. I always look for good in people even when they show otherwise, my sister Jill says I have too much mercy. I don't think it's such a thing as too much mercy. If it wasn't for God's tender mercy we would all be consumed. I thank God for mercy.
A few days ago the Lord spoke that scripture to me regarding what happened the day that guy verbally attacked me. I went to the scripture (Matthew 7), even though I understood the scripture I don't always understand Jesus's ways(they are higher than my ways). I know that he loves us all unconditionally, yet he calls some people names, like dogs, swine, whitewashed tombs, old foxes and generation of vipers. He doesn't pull punches and he's certainly not mealy-mouthed. I, however, am somewhat mealy-mouthed. I think I have adopted the attitude that name calling isn't Christian or loving. Don't get me wrong, I'm not promoting name calling as a Christian virtue. I'm just saying....
Anyway, I look up the scripture and it's part of the Sermon on the Mount. The chapter Jesus talks about judging and hypocrisy, and than right after that he 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." I don't know about anyone else but I personally like to ask "what are you saying Lord?" Was I judging him? Am I a hypocrite?" I don't believe I was judging, because I spoke from a heart of love and a desire to see him set free. I asked Jesus to explain to me what he was saying, and how do you know when you're giving what's holy to the dogs and pigs.
This is what he said---
There are some men that are scoffers, they reject me and my word completely. There is no natural affection in them, their heart is evil continually. I asked you to give me your testimony and you have with much courage. Your past belongs to me as does your future. I am Holy and Eternal and whatever belongs to me is Holy and Eternal. You and your testimony are mine, which makes it Holy and Eternal. What man can stand before me and profane that which is Holy? Who can ascend my hill? Who can stand in my Holy place? Yes, I do equate these men to a dogs; wild dogs without a home or owner, feeding on the filth and garbage of the streets, quarreling among themselves and attacking everyone in their paths. Such is the wild boar. You see that attack as a persecution of you, but it's me he is after. I am an all consuming fire and I will not be mocked. There is no days off in my kingdom, my word says to crucify the flesh daily. I ask for complete obedience. How can you obey if you don't listen. Tell him to repent and be spared my wrath. Only say what I give you to say and no more.
So there you have it, I got in trouble for not listening and doing things in the flesh and not the spirit. My prayer life was off too. Instead of following the leading of the Holy Spirit I took that guys challenge of whom would convert the other. I lacked righteous judgment and discernment(I should have gotten the hint when he said he heard enough about Jesus). I gave someone whose heart was not ready, the holy pearls of God and he trampled them under his feet and turned and tore me to pieces (like a swine). I repented. He asked me to tell him to repent.
I prayed and asked for wisdom to know when to speak. I have to admit I was like Jonah was with the Assyrian city of Ninevah, in that I didn't want to go to him and warn him. There's this mean part of me that didn't care if God beats the hell out of him that's the mean fleshy part, but the part of me that matters, the obedient and loving daughter, knew I had to. The guy came to me and said he really liked me and he knew the things he said were mean and nasty, then he asked if I would be his friend. I listened and only spoke what I was instructed. I told him that God said my testimony belong to him and he should repent for defamation, accusation, persecution, prosecution and his character assassination. I said please repent to God and not me, and he said, thank you and that he would. I told him he's not in a place to be a friend to me and that we have nothing in common. He looks as if he would cry and said thank you again. Then he walked away and called me a false prophet under his breath, and I walked away, without telling him to rot in hell.
Fearless
—Matthew 7:6
I had the strangest conversation with the guy from my job. For many days I just ignored him. It was easier than trying to talk to him. Not because I held any hostility against him or anything(well maybe a little, but I didn't tell him to rot in hell). I just don't quite understand vicious and vile people. I always look for good in people even when they show otherwise, my sister Jill says I have too much mercy. I don't think it's such a thing as too much mercy. If it wasn't for God's tender mercy we would all be consumed. I thank God for mercy.
A few days ago the Lord spoke that scripture to me regarding what happened the day that guy verbally attacked me. I went to the scripture (Matthew 7), even though I understood the scripture I don't always understand Jesus's ways(they are higher than my ways). I know that he loves us all unconditionally, yet he calls some people names, like dogs, swine, whitewashed tombs, old foxes and generation of vipers. He doesn't pull punches and he's certainly not mealy-mouthed. I, however, am somewhat mealy-mouthed. I think I have adopted the attitude that name calling isn't Christian or loving. Don't get me wrong, I'm not promoting name calling as a Christian virtue. I'm just saying....
Anyway, I look up the scripture and it's part of the Sermon on the Mount. The chapter Jesus talks about judging and hypocrisy, and than right after that he 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." I don't know about anyone else but I personally like to ask "what are you saying Lord?" Was I judging him? Am I a hypocrite?" I don't believe I was judging, because I spoke from a heart of love and a desire to see him set free. I asked Jesus to explain to me what he was saying, and how do you know when you're giving what's holy to the dogs and pigs.
This is what he said---
There are some men that are scoffers, they reject me and my word completely. There is no natural affection in them, their heart is evil continually. I asked you to give me your testimony and you have with much courage. Your past belongs to me as does your future. I am Holy and Eternal and whatever belongs to me is Holy and Eternal. You and your testimony are mine, which makes it Holy and Eternal. What man can stand before me and profane that which is Holy? Who can ascend my hill? Who can stand in my Holy place? Yes, I do equate these men to a dogs; wild dogs without a home or owner, feeding on the filth and garbage of the streets, quarreling among themselves and attacking everyone in their paths. Such is the wild boar. You see that attack as a persecution of you, but it's me he is after. I am an all consuming fire and I will not be mocked. There is no days off in my kingdom, my word says to crucify the flesh daily. I ask for complete obedience. How can you obey if you don't listen. Tell him to repent and be spared my wrath. Only say what I give you to say and no more.
So there you have it, I got in trouble for not listening and doing things in the flesh and not the spirit. My prayer life was off too. Instead of following the leading of the Holy Spirit I took that guys challenge of whom would convert the other. I lacked righteous judgment and discernment(I should have gotten the hint when he said he heard enough about Jesus). I gave someone whose heart was not ready, the holy pearls of God and he trampled them under his feet and turned and tore me to pieces (like a swine). I repented. He asked me to tell him to repent.
I prayed and asked for wisdom to know when to speak. I have to admit I was like Jonah was with the Assyrian city of Ninevah, in that I didn't want to go to him and warn him. There's this mean part of me that didn't care if God beats the hell out of him that's the mean fleshy part, but the part of me that matters, the obedient and loving daughter, knew I had to. The guy came to me and said he really liked me and he knew the things he said were mean and nasty, then he asked if I would be his friend. I listened and only spoke what I was instructed. I told him that God said my testimony belong to him and he should repent for defamation, accusation, persecution, prosecution and his character assassination. I said please repent to God and not me, and he said, thank you and that he would. I told him he's not in a place to be a friend to me and that we have nothing in common. He looks as if he would cry and said thank you again. Then he walked away and called me a false prophet under his breath, and I walked away, without telling him to rot in hell.
Fearless
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:)
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