Slopping hogs!

Earlier this week I was helping my boy with his 4-H pigs - giving shots, building a new pen, moving the feeder, putting in a new waterer, etc. Remembering my childhood days of raising pigs I was reminded of one thing - a pig is still a pig. Pigs still stink, still love mud, still love to go the wrong way, still love to chew the water hose, still love to cause your blood pressure to rise. Why mess with them anyways? A good question, huh? Reminds me of Matthew 7:6 that says, .."do not throw your pearls to the pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces". In other words, why waste time giving the good stuff to the pigs when they could care a less about the good stuff?

It can feel that way in the church sometimes. We all need the good stuff - to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus Christ in our lives. Yet, so many people could care a less. Many don't want to hear from God's Holy word, much less want to respond to it. Some refuse to listen to what God wants for their lives, in fact intentionally do those things that God deems as sinful. And then they wonder why their lives are a mess, why their marriage is in shambles, why their kids disobey, why shame and guilt consume them.

The reality is that a pig is always going to be a pig. That's just the way it is. The good news for us is that we don't have to remain unholy and unclean before God. We don't have to stomp the things of God under our feet. We have a choice - trample the pearls or accept the riches we can have by virtue of a right relationship with Jesus Christ. The end result will be telling. A pig just becomes bacon or a slice of ham. A cleaned up man or woman ends up living eternity with the risen Lord. ---------------- I never liked pigs that much anyway!

CONFESSION AND GRACE - ALL AT ONCE!

Okay, here's the deal. It's been kind of crazy lately - busy at the church, people having problems, hospitalizations, serious accidents, VBS, speaking here and there for a variety of things, etc. I was glad for a night at home on Monday until the phone rang with one of our church members heading to Garden for possible emergency surgery. So I jumped in the shower, got dressed and headed for the hospital at 9:45 p.m. Thankfully the surgery did not take place ( at least not as of today). Anyway, here's the confession. I was ready to get back home. I was leaving about 11:15 p.m. or so and was in a hurry to get back. Yep, I passed a guy going too fast. At least that's what the patrolman said. He was right. He clocked me at 78mph going around a guy. (Actually I was going 79). Nothing I could do but fess up. So I waited in the car while he checked out my license etc. trying to figure out in my mind how much this was going to cost me. After all, I did break the law and there are consequences. About 10 minutes later here came the officer with a yellow piece of paper in his hand. All I could think was - "My wife's gonna love me for this". He handed it to me and too my surprise it was just a warning. No ticket. No appearing in court. No fine. Wow! How often does that happen? What an example of grace and mercy! I deserved a ticket, I was guilty, yet I didn't get what I deserved. I like that and I told the officer so. Needless to say, I was very appreciative (as was my wife).
Ironically we just finished a study on grace in one of our classes. But far greater is God's grace that that of the patrolman's. Now if we'd just respond to it..........................................

On a lighter note..

Since I noticed that the more serious blogs have little or no response I thought I'd give you a break this week by sharing a little story told to me by a friend. It seems there was this couple who belonged to the local Catholic church yet did not attend too often. One day the priest ran into the couple who had now been married several years and he asked them how they were doing. They responded with the normal "fine". He then asked them about their family, how many kids they had, etc. They replied that they had not been able to have children but were still hoping to be parents in the near future. The priest said that he would pray for them and even light a candle for them the next time he was in Rome. Many years later the priest saw the wife and again he asked about children. This time the wife said she had given birth to three sets of twins and and had two others as well. "Great" said the priest, "But where's your husband?" to which she replied, "Oh, he's in Rome blowing out the candles".

"This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine" - P.R.