Pearls before Swines...

Matthew 7:6 “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

     As they say a diamond is a girl's best friend :), but pearls are probably one of my favourites. They have just that simple, beautiful and elegant touch that can make everything else that you're wearing just come together and look amazing. 

     And I just love how pearls are the perfect illustration for showing girls that they have amazing value. 

I'm pretty sure most people know how pearls are formed.

They're formed from a grain of sand that entered into an oyster shell and caused that little irritation that made the difference. That grain of sand entered an oyster shell that was different from every other kind in the ocean. That tiny, worthless grain of sand irritated that oyster shell and helped that oyster create a beautiful, gorgeous and valuable pearl.

But it doesn't take a week to create a pearl. Not even a month or 2 years. It takes 10 - 12 years to create a exquisite pearl! 

"So long!", I hear you say? Yes, it sure is, but don't you think it's worth the wait?

     And us human beings are like that pearl. Sometimes we may be discouraged by life and just situations that we go through, but we can be encouraged to know that through all of it, we are going through the 10-12 year phase of becoming a beautiful valuable pearl. 

    

      And to tie that all in with my little verse up there :), as it says it would be pretty ridiculous and absurd to just throw your pearls around willy nilly. I'm pretty sure people would think you lost a few marbles in the head from your last fall or something. :) 

      And to me... the pearls in this verse represent the choices that we make. What we decide to do and say in any situation. What we decide to use now or what we decide to keep for later.

     We can't just throw our choices around and decide to do things, "just because" or because it was a "spur-of-the-moment" thing, or maybe we wanted to do something totally random, or because we felt like it, or because you wanted that girl to be friends with you so you told her all your information and feelings or you really liked that guy so you said things and acted in a way that you wouldn't normally.  

And you know, it's not wrong to share your information and feelings with your friends. There is nothing wrong with that at all. But.. really consider what your telling people and what choices you decide to make. Those are pearls and you can't just chuck them to anyone you want.

     You may not realize how precious those pearls are. But when you do, those pearls that you find so prized, aren't always going to be valued by the person that you gave them to. Some people are going to just trod them into the ground and not care whether or not they pass the pearl along to the next person. 

    Wouldn't it be better to treat those pearls as sacred things? To keep them all on the necklace so that you can finally give it to that special one who will truly cherish  them and hold them in their highest regard?

    Girls who have a suave fellow :) treasure those pearls, don't take the big staircase and rush into things. Savour the sweet little pearls, like the sweet things in your relationship. Save all the pearls until the big day when you can say, "I give you my most valuable possession in my life. Something that I have saved for you for so long. I give you my pearls..." 

   And girls/guys don't be discouraged if you have given pearls away carelessly. Yes.. it probably wasn't the best thing to do. Everyone has done that mistake. But you know God's willing to forgive us, you just have to ask him. :)

Hebrews 4:16  

     "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Romans 10:9,10,13 

     "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

      For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

     For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. "