Do you ponder things in your heart before you blurt something out? Can you keep a secret? What about being silent when necessary? When someone navigates these things well, discretion is the outcome in one's character, where the traits of simple-mindedness and perplexity are trampled by pigs and ravaged by dogs. Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, “Do not give dogs what is sacred: do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.” When properly understood, these words introduce us to the true nature of Jesus, where Christian Character Counts.
Most people misunderstand Jesus' words about the pigs and dogs in The Sermon on the Mount. No, Jesus does not suggest that certain people are considered pigs or dogs. It’s about being kind to the unthankful and evil people with discreetness and love. The great theologian Dallas Willard shared it best when he shared that Jesus' words about pigs and dogs are about being careful in what we say to someone not ready to receive it. Why? Because if others are not ready to receive the truth (pearls), the right answers can do more harm than good to the communicator and hearer. Understand that pigs can’t digest pearls, which hurts them when receiving them. Increasing God’s Kingdom by feeding people who are unprepared for it is harmful and unproductive. It also identifies the fundamental problem of giving dogs what is sacred and throwing pearls to pigs - no discretion!
All Christians are invited to be like Jesus and create discretion in who they are to fit and use words to increase the goodness of life where their words, when fittingly spoken, are like apples of gold in pictures of silver (Proverbs 25:11). To be discreet means to be prudent and wise. The remarkable aspect of the Christian faith is it invites believers to grow and develop character traits taught and seen by Jesus. Discretion is about saying the right thing or saying nothing at all. Abraham Lincoln said, “Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”
Discretion is not just about not speaking. It’s about having the maturity and skill to speak wisely. We must listen to the hearer's needs and problems first, then converse with discernment and discretion. A thing we can do to integrate this trait is to learn to listen! The words of the Apostle James direct us to this end. “In view of what he [Jesus] has made us then, dear brothers, let every man be quick to listen but slow to use his tongue, and slow to lose his temper. For man’s temper is never the means of achieving God’s true goodness (James 1:9 Phillips).
Welcoming and inducting discretion is a choice. Stop and dispute harmful character traits like casting pearls at pigs and throwing sacred things at dogs. Decide now to be valuable as a Christ believer and develop discretion. If you do, the pearls of Christ will be your reward, where Christian Character Counts.
With discretion