Tuesday June 27, 2023

Matthew 7:6,12-14

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.

I really do not know how to interpret this passage. There is obviously something that is lost in translation. So how do we read it?

One of your precious gifts is your energy. After trying over and over again to win over the Pharisees and religious leaders, Jesus lifts up his hands and shakes his head. These guys are exhausting. They find fault with everything he does. Sometimes you just have to do you and let the chips fall where they will. This is particularly hard for people like me who are people pleasers. I thrive on compliments, I want to be liked and so I and people like me will give and give and if we get one little criticism our whole world falls apart.

So there are really two strands of thought here:

1. Guard your energy and do not waste it on the ungrateful.

2. Find joy in your work or in being you and do not go out of your way seeking approval.

I really do not know if this is what our Lord meant but we gave it a try.