Matthew 7:6 Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
Christianity is not a philosophy. In its truest form it is not even a religion. Christianity is a relationship. Philosophies and religions are lifeless sets of rules or guidelines to determine behavior. A relationship is a dynamic, hopefully growing, bond between two parties.
We were created to have a relationship with God. It is our main purpose for existing. To live the Christian life as God intends us to, we must constantly be in communication with God so that we can be led by Him through the Holy Spirit. This verse that we are discussing today is a perfect example of why we need to let God guide us.
This verse is a difficult one to discuss because it seems to contradict what Jesus said just a couple of chapters earlier. Previously in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has told His disciples to not resist violence (5:39), to be generous to all who ask (5:42), to love their enemies (5:44), and to forgive (6:14) any and all offenses. In this verse however, Jesus throws in a huge “EXCEPT”.
Before we go on, let’s look at some context. In Jewish culture and religion of Jesus day, dogs and pigs were considered unclean animals. Nothing could make them clean. They were irredeemable. Just their mention would have likely conjured up feelings of revulsion and disgust in the original audience. Giving such creatures something holy or valuable would have been unthinkable.
Now back to the teaching Jesus had just given the disciples. He did not instruct them to turn the other cheek or give to all who ask so they could be abused or taken advantage of. He told them to do these things so that God’s love and mercy could be made known on the Earth.
The sad truth is there are people in the world who will misuse our trust and love. They are so hardened and corrupt inside that they will not see God through our acts of love and kindness. Just as a dog does not value what is holy and a pig does not care about the value of pearls, such people will disdain holy living and see no worth to it. In those cases, doing what Jesus had said earlier would harm us and not benefit the other person. Therefore, there is no purpose in it.
Practical examples of this might be if you have a family member who is a drug addict. While they are in the midst of their addiction it would not advance God’s kingdom to give them money when they ask for it. They would not see God’s love and you would just be feeding their addiction. It would be like throwing pearls before pigs. In the same way, if a person has a spouse who regularly abuses them physically, repeatedly turning the other cheek may not glorify God. It might be like giving something holy to a dog.
These are the situations when our relationship with God is so essential. We need to be able to hear His leading in specific situations. God may very well call us to live in a sacrificial manner or endure some suffering. When he does so it is for some good purpose and He will reward us for our obedience. If no good will come from the suffering or sacrifice then enduring just for the sake of doctrine may just be giving what is holy to the dogs or throwing pearls before pigs.
Heavenly Father, draw me closer to You so that I will hear Your voice clearly and be led by You in every situation. When it is good for me to suffer or sacrifice then give me the strength and courage to do so with a good attitude. At the same time, let me hear Your voice guiding me away from throwing the pearls You give me uselessly before pigs.