Hey sweet faces!!! This is the final blog post before the summer! How many of you know that the Bible isn’t just full of sweet words of encouragement? Listen, there is some savagery in the Bible! God gave me this topic to share a few months ago and I was like “Ummm nah, that’s harsh!” But since it’s the last one for the summer, I’m gonna just sit this right here, drop the mic, and keep it moving! Let’s go!

The scripture that God gave me was Matthew 7:6. The Good News Translation says “Do not give what is holy to dogs—they will only turn and attack you. Do not throw your pearls in front of pigs—they will only trample them underfoot.” I have always heard that we shouldn’t cast our pearls before swine, but I was just like a lot of us that know some of the scripture but not all of it. When I read it in it’s entirety, I was like “Ok Jesus!” It was really personal to me as this is something I have to remember. This was actually something that was prophesied to me a few years ago that I kinda understood, but this added more depth. But what does it mean and why are our pearls so sacred? Happy you asked!

I loooooove pearls, however none of the ones I own are authentic! 🤣 Pearls are a symbol of beauty and purity. They are rare, expensive, and actually are created by a living creature. Pearls are formed in oyster and mussel shells. It starts when an irritant gets inside of the shell, like a piece of sand for example. The mussell begins to coat it with a protectant called nacre thousands of times. This is a defense mechanism, but it allows the pearl to form. The pearl takes anywhere from 2 to 4 years to develop. Isn’t that amazing! I think that is a perfect picture of how sacred pearls are in relation to what God is trying to convey to us. First, it is formed by an irritant, which is something that is undesirable. Then it takes some time to develop. This is an example of our morals, values, convictions, and relationship with God. It is not an overnight process, and there are levels to it as we grow and learn. This process creates our moral compass.

Now, let’s talk about those dogs and pigs mentioned in the scripture. Dogs and pigs are seen as unclean and unruly animals. I don’t believe that you would place anything that you deem as valuable in a pen with dogs or pigs, right? This is when we have to clutch our pearls. We have to hold on to the things that God has told us, our personal convictions, and wisdom we have gained because everyone isn’t equipped to handle our “pearls”. We may be mocked, ridiculed, and singled out when we share those things with the wrong people. We have to learn the ministry of being quiet. The pearls we have gained are so precious, so we must treasure them in the event we encounter someone that will value our work, effort, and diligence to develop. There are people that will take care of the wisdom and love you share because they are aware of the sacrifices you made to get to this space. Following God can be difficult! We wanna do things our way, but this is the road less travelled.

The rewards will be worth it. This doesn’t mean that we cannot communicate with those that don’t agree with the way we choose to live, but it does mean that we have to use a filter as we speak. We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us to give them what they need without depleting ourselves of our valuables. As we grow and develop in God, we make decisions to follow Him despite our feelings and our flesh. This can cause a stir amongst those that knew us before this transformation. Remember that setting healthy boundaries is a MUST, not just for your healing and growth, but also for your salvation and walk with Christ.

Father, I pray that you would help us to clutch our pearls. Give us the discernment we need as we balance the sacred space of relationship with you and fellowship with your people. Let our lives be an example of balance that ultimately leads others to you. We ask that you continue to allow our pearls to grow and thrive as we gain new wisdom, insight, and revelation through our relationship with you. We thank you for your wisdom to know when to share and when to be silent as we communicate. In your son’s name we pray, AMEN! My sisters, have an AMAZING and safe summer and make sure you get my new devotional from Amazon called “A Beautiful Journey.” Love you all!!