What is it that you hold most dear? Surely it is your Lord and master, your spouse, or your children. What’s beyond those sacred things? In a word, it’s your ideas. Your ideas are how you see the world. This is the most dear thing to us all, for your ideas are your perception and how you perceive the world.
Your ideas are so precious that you would defend them to the death and yet you want to share them with others so that they might also enjoy these same ideas. In a sense, your ideas are like a collection of precious pearls. You go through life seeking pearls of great value and discard those that are no longer of value and you’ve found a great pearl, the world seems to make a bit more sense and this pearl is what you desire most1.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Matthew 13:45-46
Now like I mentioned before, pearls come and go as our ideas and world view change over time, but sometimes we get attached to our pearls and even clutch them. Some cope and seethe at the very idea of changing their world view, they are clutching their pearls.
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.
Matthew 7:6 KJV
Up until this point, this post has been in my drafts for 11.5 months, forgotten. This concept of “don’t cast your pearls before swine” is a theme that continues to come into my life one way or another. This incredible parable from Jesus tells me to not focus my energy where it is not appreciated. Do not waste time on those that do not wish to receive your energy. It’s a shame it has taken me 40 years to understand this but no regrets and trust God’s plan.
- As I am on my own spiritual journey, I am now more than ever putting the Lord above all else. I am referring to all things after God and your family. ↩︎
