Daily Bread 3-8-18
The Sermon on the mount(cont'd)
Matthew 7:6
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
ref. - Pr 9:7,8 - He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
What happens when we try to correct a man that is hateful and thinks he has done no wrong? He gets angry and speaks ill of us to others who "do no wrong". He digs into our own lives and tries to dig up the dirt that we have in our past to try to dismantle our own testimony. Even if it is something that we have been forgiven of by God, man will bring it up. This is why we are not to give reproof(to scold or "chew out") to a scorner(a contemptuous or hateful person. An arguer or smart mouth). What happens when we try to help in this manner is we get someone who wants to fight back. Rather than accepting the correction and improving on it, they will try to argue their way out of it with excuses. They will, in turn, throw it back in our faces as they go about spreading lies and rumors about us and trying to keep as many people as they can from hearing the gospel that we have been called to spread. But what about "the crumbs that fall from the masters' table"? (The trickiest verse used by disobedient men who accept only a part of the gospel but don't agree with all of it.) Realize that the dinner was not for the dogs and neither were the dogs acknowledged at the dinner. What they ate was unknowingly spilled from the table. This meaning that the food was served to the invited and they were lucky enough to gather some fragments from the floor. Once they tasted these leftovers or spills, they realized how good the food tasted and wanted more. The only way to get more was to become invited to the table. So, in reality, we are not to go about giving the scornful or the trouble makers our attention or our information on how to become filled. We go about giving the gospel to those who will accept it and focus on the ones who really want to hear the word of God and improve from it, and soon enough, the dogs and swine will realize that they are not so important any more. If they want what God has in this family, they will have to come into this family through repentance and remission of sins. This meaning that rather than fighting and arguing and making excuses that they will have to admit to their sins and repent of them. They will have to eat what is given them with thanksgiving and not pick and choose what they like and don't like. To stop feeding these kinds of people is not easy to do, especially with those of our own household, but it is necessary for God's will to take effect in their lives and ours. Put it this way, was it when someone was constantly begging you to get saved, or was it when you realized that the only way to find peace was to get saved? Did you go to man or did you go to Jesus? Did you plead your case as innocent to him, or did you fall to your knees and say I'm sorry? The commandment given here in this scripture is just that. It is not a suggestion, it is a commandment to disciples of Jesus Christ. If we are true disciples then we need to get back behind Jesus Christ and stop trying to do the things that only he can do. We need to become obedient to his commandments in order for our peace to remain and for our callings to be fulfilled. If it says don't feed the dogs and the swine because they will treat God's wisdom as trash and thow it back in our faces, believe it and stop doing it. This is not an easy lesson nor will it be easy for carnal worldly people to agree with. But if we disagree, or have another way, aren't we the dogs and the swine? Food for thought in a starving world. More of Jesus, less of this world. Have a great day!!