“Hard Sayings of Jesus: Dogs and Swine” by Rev. Cody Sandahl – January 24, 2016
Introduction
We are continuing our series looking at some of the hard sayings of Jesus. This week we’re looking at a very strange saying. And what makes it stranger is that it comes in one of Jesus’ greatest sermons: the Sermon on the Mount. This wasn’t a random aside, it was intentional. Hear the confusing words of Jesus.
Matthew 7:1-6
1“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye. 6“Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
Headed for Disaster
You know the Sermon on the Mount deals with some of the most basic impulses of the human experience. Being angry with another – done that. Insulted another – done that. Thought another person was a fool – done that. Lied – done that. Sought revenge – done that. Been a show-off – done that.
Jesus was spot on time and time and time again in this sermon. He was on a roll. But not only have I never wanted to, but I’d put $100 to bet that no one in the history of humankind has ever wanted to feed their valuable treasure to pigs. Not gonna happen. I could see a pig accidentally eating something you dropped. My dog is quite skilled at this – especially if it’s Charlie’s crayons. But intentionally tossing pearls to a pig to eat? Nu-uh. No sir.
And then he adds that, if you for some unknown reason did this, the pigs would turn on you, trample you, and maul you. Pretty sure that’s not giving me any extra motivation, Jesus. What on earth does this mean?
Well let’s roll it back to the start of our text and see if we can figure it out together.
The first two verses say that however we judge other people, that’s how we’ll be judged. Now the word for “judge” here means “to call into question.” So that’s the context for our pearl-munching pigs. When we are calling another into question. When we are doubting another person’s wisdom. When we believe another person is heading for disaster.
And these first two verses are saying that the way you approach someone else when you think they’re headed for disaster is the way you’ll be approached when you are headed toward disaster.
At the house where I spent the first ten years of my life we had a pack of neighborhood boys who played together. And we were playing some form of tag, and it stretched inside and out. I was the second-youngest boy in the pack, so I had to pump my legs pretty hard to avoid getting tagged. And I had built up a full head of steam trying to reach home base. I rounded the corner at top speed and leapt through the door to try to get to the couch. And *BAM*. The screen door was closed. And I must say, it was quite sturdily built. The worst part of all? I got tagged.
Now wouldn’t it have been nice if someone had noticed that I was careening head first into a closed door? Wouldn’t it have been nice if someone had tried to stop me? Wouldn’t it have been nice if they had compassion on me after it happened instead of laughing like hyenas for the next week?
I think this text is making two interesting points when you notice that someone’s headed toward disaster much worse than a screen door. What’s the easiest way to handle it? “It’s their life. They can just deal with it.” But that’s not what the text says. In fact, v5 says, “then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” Jesus assumes we WILL help, we WILL speak up when someone is headed for disaster. Not an option to ignore it.
And the second interesting point is that HOW we approach someone in that situation is supremely important and can determine the result.
Owning Our Role
For instance, v3-5 encourage us to approach with humility. Jesus says to, “notice the log in your own eye.” Now I’m pretty sure this is rabbi overstatement here, because my neck can’t support a log strapped to my face. The image here is that when you approach someone you believe is headed toward disaster, all of YOUR flaws will be magnified, obvious, visible from a mile away. And they’ll probably be thrown in your face.
I know someone who is in decent shape for his age, but his doctor told him to lose five pounds. So he told the doctor, “I’ll do that right after you lose the extra twenty you’re carrying around.”
So one of the most important things we can do if we see someone careening toward the proverbial screen door is to have an attitude of humility.
When I counsel couples before their marriage, one of the exercises I have them do is a comprehensive approach to conflict management. And one of the steps in that handout says, “List all the ways you have contributed to the problem.” Not all the ways your partner has contributed to the problem. All the ways YOU have contributed to the problem. That’s an attitude of humility. That’s owning up to your own logs.
But logs aren’t limited to our own role. Sometimes it’s just recognizing when we’ve done something similar. Or maybe just been on a path to disaster ourselves.
My mom got some paint matched at a store but when she put it on the wall it was clearly, obviously wrong. So she took it back to the store and they said, “Oh, Johnny did the color match? I’m sure it’s right. He’s never wrong.” After a few minutes where they wouldn’t even consider that Johnny might have made a mistake, my mom replied, “Well shoot, if Johnny never makes a mistake maybe he should run for president! We could use a man like that leading our country.” Grasping her point they finally relented, opened the paint can, and exclaimed, “You’re right! That’s the wrong color. Let me try to match that for you.”
Have you ever made a mistake? Have you ever been unwise? Have you ever been on the wrong path? Have you ever been headed for disaster? Have you ever careened headlong into the screen door? If not, Iowa hasn’t voted yet. There’s still time to enter the race. We could use you leading this country! I recommend Johnny for your vice president.
When we see someone headed toward disaster, Jesus says speak up! Don’t just let them fall into ruin! But remember when you’ve been there, too. Extend your hand in help, don’t extend your wagging finger in judgment.
Digestible Wisdom
And that’s where our little piggies come back into focus. Once we’ve noticed that someone is headed for disaster, careening toward the screen door. Once we’ve decided to speak up. Once we’ve decided to approach it with an attitude of humility, owning our role and our past. Then we get to the pearls and the pigs.
Pigs at that time would primarily have been fed peas or corn or some other small bits of plant-based food. You know, stuff that’s about the size of a small pearl.
So here’s the image I think Jesus is getting at. Suppose you have a Godly insight to help someone avoid the disaster they seem intent on bringing upon themselves. That nugget of wisdom that you have needs to be shared with the other person. But if you just toss in your pearly white zinger of truth, the other person won’t be able to digest it. It won’t nourish them. They’ll reject it and maybe even attack you for it!
Instead of just laying it all out there I believe Jesus is saying, in humility, present your words of help and encouragement in a way that the other person can digest. It might take longer. It’ll certainly be more difficult for you. But he’s saying we can’t just toss our word-bomb on someone, drop the mike, and walk off the stage. We have a responsibility to consider how the other person will be able to see it, desire it, eat it, and digest it so they can avoid the disaster.
Throw In the Towel
Now what if the other person doesn’t want anything to do with you? What if your pearl has been carefully massaged into edible pig food, but you’re still trampled and mauled anyway?
I know someone who saw a family member at a 4th of July party. This family member was still recovering from a traumatic and very painful injury, so she said to him, “I’m praying for you and your injury.” He wheeled around on her and shouted, “I don’t want your prayers! You can keep your prayers for someone else!” Since it was the 4th of July, she replied, “Well it’s America and I can pray for whomever I want!”
Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever gone the extra mile to say something difficult in a way that can be heard, but you still get trounced?
What then? Well, Jesus says, “do not give what is holy to dogs.” This is talking about meat sacrificed at the temple – that’s what is holy. And the dogs here are wild dogs roaming the streets, not your favorite house pet. So Jesus is saying that sometimes your words of humble help simply won’t be heard. You’re wasting your time. There are times when it’s OK to throw in the towel.
In the first text we read today Jesus sends his disciples out in pairs, and he tells them to extend their peace in whatever towns they come upon. But if that town won’t receive them, “shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.” Be done with them!
There are times when it’s OK to throw in the towel. But it’s not OK to make that your default every time. You need a track record, not just a hunch. Jesus’ disciples had to give it a go, preach the good news, meet the people, and only if AFTER ALL THAT they weren’t received, it was OK to dust off and move on.
Summary
Sisters and brothers, Jesus assumes that we WILL help when we notice that someone is headed for a disaster far worse than careening into a screen door. But he tells us first to extend a hand of help, not a wagging finger of judgment. Then he tells us to own our role, to remember our past, to have an attitude of humility because our own flaws will be magnified. In humility, Jesus tells us to massage our words so that the pearl of wisdom is digestible to the person hearing it – otherwise they’ll attack us. And finally, if we follow his recipe but we’re still attacked, there are times when we can dust off and not worry about feeding the dogs.
Where can you extend a helping hand to someone, not a wagging finger of judgment? And how can you deliver a digestible word of help and encouragement? Or maybe someone is trying to give you a pearl of wisdom – are you willing to digest it or are you trampling and mauling them like those ornery pigs?
Jesus assumes we WILL speak up…we WILL help. Is there anyone in your path, anyone in your life, who could use your helping hand? Amen.
