According to God's law, pigs are considered unclean animals. If you think about it from an earthly sense, you can understand why. They eat anything, even garbage. They quickly digest it all, unlike a cow that chews and processes food slowly. Pigs roll in their own waste and consider it bathing. Yuck!
Throughout my life I have often found myself trying to talk about God and what He has done for me. He saved me from myself so many times and continues to forgive me when I ask for forgiveness and repent. He is a loving, forgiving Father that disciplines when we need it (PRAISE GOD) and guides us with His grace and mercy to try and keep us in His will.
Unfortunately, there are people who aren't accepting of the testimony and reject it. They either are unsaved, unrepentant or just don't understand grace. Whatever the case may be, you waste your time trying to get God's point across. Matthew 7:6 (NLT) says, "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."
Jesus never imposed His will on people. He never forced anyone to sit and listen to His Word. He still doesn't. He is a gentleman that offers the gift of forgiveness and grace, neither of which we deserve. We are none good. “Why do you call Me good? ” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One — God." Mark 10:18 HCSB
God wants us to tell of His awesomeness. But, if we try to tell those who clearly reject it, it is a waste of time. It says it right there in the Bible. Why would we want to waste our time with one who rejects it, when there are so many hungry for it? There are so many who long to wear the pearls of God's promises.
I used to get so excited, as a police officer, when God would use a situation or an object to lead me into stories of how He had worked throughout my life. It filled me with joy to know that God was using me to minister in the career that I so much enjoyed. This proves that you don't have to be a "missionary" to be a missionary. In other words, you can be a missionary in whatever field of work you do.
I tried to never push the Word on anyone but waited for the Holy Spirit to lead me. Often, He led me when I was less than enthusiastic but then rewarded me with Holy Spirit joy when it was all said and done. Sometimes, even though excited, we can he intimidated by the situation or fear of rejection. Satan uses that for interference.
If I am being truthful, I have on many occasions, tried to force God on family members. That was a different situation all together, or so I thought. When we talk about family, it becomes personal. We want to make sure we save them from the fires of Hell. We take special interest in those we hold close.
So why is it that we try harder with family than strangers or acquaintances? It might be the opposite for you. You might feel more comfortable with strangers. Being rejected by family lasts longer in our minds and hearts than that of a stranger that we, most likely, won't see again. If we are all created by God for God, why don't we care about salvation for everyone the same? Why don't we consider all very personal? We should. God takes each of His people personal. We should feel responsible for each soul that we encounter. God's greatest command is to love. When we start loving like He expects, we will find each one personal. We are God's big family.
I find myself so excited about what God has done throughout my life and especially how He has cleaned me up. He continues to peel away layers even as I type these blogs. (I wish you could feel the flutters in my heart just thinking about it) It took a long time to get to this place because I am very hard headed and like to do things my way. There's been trust issues and clutter that caused me to reject the depth of a relationship that Christ wanted with me. Remember what I said earlier...Christ will not impose on us. He wants to desire to have Him intimately. Having all the clutter, the other things that I made god in my life, I used up the space that God-the One True God, Adonai- wanted.
There are a lot of people that live such cluttered lives or have to have control that they are missing what Christ is offering them. While He won't impose, He will offer through our testimony and through our hearts. We have to be willing to share but know when we are wasting our time. A very good friend of mine said recently, "A person has to know that they need help, or want to be helped, before you can help them."
It's our job to reach out, but God's job to save. If we offer and are not accepted, we have fulfilled our God-given responsibility. We plant the seed and someone else may be responsible for watering and then someone else can do the nurturing. Ultimately, God is responsible for the fine details in refinement.
Although it feels like we have failed, when we are rejected, God has a plan. You might have just been the beginning but He handles it to the end. Can I get an amen?!?!? It is such a precious gift that God desires us and desires to use us to further His Kingdom. Trust Him for guidance in how to use that gift.
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