My granddaughter's favorite nursery rhyme (in her toddler years) was This Little Piggy. She often asked me to recite and fingerplay it. One time doing so, I recall it revealing some insight about the following Wonderfully Weird Command, "Don't Cast Pearls Before Pigs." 

Recall the nursery rhyme, This Little Piggy. The rhyme is recited and counted on a child's toes, each rhyming line relating to a different toe, starting with the big toe, and ending with the little one. And, of course, a foot tickle is added after the last little piggy runs home. Adorable, right? Well, hold onto your bacon; it's time to say goodbye to your childhood delusions.

Let's bring some reality to the five little piggies. The first "little piggy went to market." It doesn't say he went to "THE" market; it tells the pig went "TO" market. Does slaughterhouse come to mind? The second "little piggy stayed home," which can only mean this little guy is awaiting his fate, frightened at home. How about the little piggy who "had roast beef"? This image is just sick; he's eating his good friend, the cow, to be fattened up to be butchered. How could we be so blind? Let's not forget the fourth little piggy who "had none." This picture is the runt of the litter. Recall the runt of the litter in the animal kingdom; they get none, and they are left to fend for themselves or die. Then, of course, we have the last little piggy who went "wee wee wee all the way home," or should I say, screaming in terror for their life! Wow, reality can be sobering.

My point in reality with this devastating representation of the most enduring nursery rhyme ever is, "It's not good to be a pig!" and Jesus said, "Don't cast your pearls to pigs (Matthew 7:6b)." Understand the pigs and dogs in this verse are recognized as scavengers and considered unclean animals. Here, Jesus compares pigs and dogs to human fools, and he is saying we do not throw our pearls or insights of God before fools. Instead, we cling to the valuable and beautiful things of God. They are our treasures, don't throw them away. It will not turn out well for you, just like the honest devastating picture of our rhyme, "This Little Piggy."

Like my granddaughter asking me to recite a cute little nursery rhyme, I encourage you to eagerly get the command, "Don't Cast Pearls to Pigs," into your heart to acquire God's Pearl of wisdom known as discretion. Discretion of behaving in such a way as to avoid revealing God's secrets to little piggies or fools who will meet their Fate in the end. Fate being empty and aloneness (Hell), where the Eternal Fires (Rev 14:11) cook them to where all that is left is the unpleasant smell of scorched bacon where fools find no pleasure in understanding God's Way (Proverbs 18:2). 

With discretion,

~ Pastor Drake