Have you ever read something that Jesus said and found yourself saying something like, “Wait… What? What’s He really saying here?” You may have read it hundreds of times and maybe heard a sermon or two about it, but never really thought about it that much. Then you happen to come across it again, and it’s not clear exactly what He expects you to do about it. I had one of those experiences recently while going through that profoundly enlightening and challenging dissertation that we generally refer to as “The Sermon on the Mount.”
Anticipation Interrupted ~
I had just read that very familiar passage about not being so concerned about getting a speck out of your brother’s eye when you have a plank sticking out of your own. I was probably
treating it like mental “flyover” territory on my way to the very encouraging admonition where Jesus tells us that if we ask, seek, and knock, God will hear us and respond. Then stuck in the midst of those two famous lessons, Israel’s Master Rabbi, slips this in:
Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:6 NKJV)
I don’t know how many hundreds of times I have read those words, but this time was different. On my way to the next verse, I had one of those, “Wait a minute… What did He say?” moments. So, I read it again. This time I slowly repeated the words in my head as I read them. Obviously, this was another example of Jesus using common, recognizable things to create metaphorical images designed to bring vital spiritual truths to life. The problem in my case was not that I failed to see the images Jesus described. What troubled me was that I failed to see exactly what they meant. Knowing what dogs are is one thing, but knowing what Jesus meant by them is another.
Not Cute Little Pets ~
Many, if not most, of the dogs in our day are treated more like four-legged family members than animals. But that wasn’t done in the culture Jesus lived in. Dogs were not cute little pets in first century Israel. Some, of course, were domesticated and trained for such things as 
assisting the shepherds, but with good reason, dogs were normally seen as unclean, potentially dangerous animals, and direct contact with them was avoided. Most dogs simply roamed the countryside, hunted in packs, or scoured the streets in search of anything they could find to eat. They are instinctively carnivorous creatures and can be dangerous and potentially deadly predators.
But Jesus’ concern wasn’t about actual canines. He was concerned about human beings who embodied attitudes and behaviors similar to the dogs His audience knew about – and the metaphor was not unfamiliar to them. The same analogy was used in a prophetic Psalm predicting what the Messiah would suffer:
For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. (Psalm 22:16 NKJV)
Later the Apostle Paul would employ the metaphor again as a warning to the Church in Philippi:
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! (Philippians 3:2 NKJV)
Finally, John would mention dogs one last time in the last chapter of the last Book in the Bible. In describing those forever banished from New Jerusalem and the Kingdom of God, he said:
But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:15 NKJV)
Canine Characteristics ~
In all these cases, God is reminding us that there are people in our midst who embody the predatory instincts and other characteristics displayed by the dogs in Jesus day. Like their canine role models, these people may act friendly when it’s in their own best interest, but
inwardly, they live for the hunt and rejoice when they bring down their prey. They know nothing of things like compassion and sacrificial love. They exist to satisfy their appetites, and their devotion is only to themselves. Jesus says we are not to give what is holy to them – and that begs another question. What’s He talking about? What holy things do I have that I might inadvertently toss to one of these dogs?
Given that Jesus’ command was not to give holy things to nefarious spiritual canines, taking a quick “holy things” inventory seems appropriate:
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- My relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit immediately came to mind, of course. Though they are undeniably holy, they didn’t seem like something I could just inadvertently hand off to someone.
- Next on the list were the many copies of the Holy Word of God that I’m privileged to have. They are definitely items not to be relinquished to the dogs.
- Then I thought about the sanctified responsibilities I have toward my physical family, my spiritual brothers and sisters, and my role as a citizen of Heaven and the community I live in. But again, I wondered what would constitute giving them away.
A Wakeup Moment ~
As I continued pondering the issue, it seemed as though God said to me, “Look, dummy… (okay, He didn’t really say that part, but that’s how I felt when His response hit me), the most holy thing you have, and what I’m most concerned about protecting from the dogs is YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
With that, these declarations from Paul flooded into my head:
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16–17 NKJV)
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (I Corinthians 6:19–20 NKJV)
Not surprisingly, I don’t tend to think of myself as holy. I fall far short of even meeting my own standards most of the time, much less God’s. But the truth is that being declared holy by God has nothing to do with my performance. God didn’t just randomly confer holiness on a sinner like me. It cost Him the sinless life of His Son and the hellish torture of the cross to be able to do that, and its value is incomparable.
A Disturbing Perspective ~
No money could have bought what God has bestowed on us through the sacrifice of His Son, and no effort could have earned it. All the accumulated certifications, designations, titles, achievements, accolades, honors, and positions the world could ever bestow are pathetic, worthless, trifles. Now … consider what it looks like to God when we offer our bodies, minds, resources, energy, and passion to the snarling pack of godless hounds in this world waiting to use us as chew toys.
It’s sobering to think about how many of those dogs Jesus referred to are prowling social media and roaming the internet in packs. They’ve crept into our schools, invaded our 
workplaces, and permeated our entertainment centers. They’re stalking us and our children every minute of every day, and they live to defile everything God set apart for Himself, beginning with us. They are a continual threat, but Jesus’ command was not directed against the dogs.
He didn’t tell us to hide from them or to try to find a dogless community, and it certainly wasn’t a call to rid the world of them. He just said don’t hand what is holy over to them.
Spiritual predators are unavoidable. Moral carnivores will always be stalking us, and self-serving scavengers will always be waiting to feed on our joy and hope if we let them. The admonition Jesus delivered was targeting us, not them. I can’t keep the dogs from invading the world I’m forced to share with them, but I can refuse to hand myself and my family over to them.
“TWEETABLES” ~ Click to Tweet & Share from the pull quotes below. Each quote links directly to this article through Twitter.
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- “There are people in our midst who embody the predatory instincts and other characteristics displayed by the dogs in Jesus day. They may act friendly when it’s in their own best interest, but inwardly, they live for the hunt & rejoice when they bring down their prey.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- “Being declared holy by God has nothing to do with my performance. God didn’t just randomly confer holiness on a sinner like me. It cost Him the sinless life of His Son and the hellish torture of the cross to be able to do that, and its value is incomparable.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- “No money could have bought what God bestowed on us through the sacrifice of His Son. No effort could’ve earned it. All the accumulated certifications, designations, achievements, accolades, honors and positions the world could ever bestow are pathetic, worthless trifles.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- “It’s sobering to think about how many of those dogs Jesus referred to are prowling social media and roaming the internet in packs. They’re stalking us and our children every minute of every day, and they live to defile everything God set apart for Himself, beginning with us.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
- “It’s sobering to think how many of those dogs Jesus referred to are prowling social media, roaming the internet in packs. They’ve crept into our schools, invaded our workplaces, permeated our entertainment centers. BUT Jesus’ command wasn’t directed against the dogs.” @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
Check out Ron’s book, “Right Side Up Thinking in an Upside Down World ~ Looking at the World through the Lens of Biblical Truth” 
Apologies for my tardiness sir, and I know you understand. Powerful insights and truths shared in this week’s edition of “When God Speaks” my friend. As I was reading your words and considering your thoughts, insights, and calls to action, I too was convicted. What we have been given is not flippant, insignificant, or consumable. We have been given life eternal with our Creator. The moment we were sealed by the Holy Spirit, we were set aside for His purpose. We were chosen for His purpose and our surrender of this life for His is a very small price to pay for the life He surrendered to ransom us.
I thought about how easy it is to give our holy selves away to the dogs and pigs of this world. We do it every time we compromise the values and godly morals His law teaches is. We do it every time we compromise ourselves, telling ourselves, “but my acceptance will keep the peace.” We do it every time we let our worldly troubles distract and tear us away from our worship. I thought about that word “compromise.” The thought occurred to me that this is exactly the trap that Adam and Eve fell into.
First Peter 1:15-16 screamed from inside me as I thought about this. “… Be holy as I am holy.” In my simple mind, being holy is not a “state of consciousness”, it is a responsibility that each of us bear if we are to truly be children of God. Too many of us want to appear holy when it’s for our benefit. We want to appear holy when we enter the church building on Sunday morning. We want to appear holy when we think others are looking. Yet, when we look upon “The Mirror of Self”, the Holy Spirit reveals the truth that resides within us. We see the pettiness, the jealousy, the lack of contentedness, and the pride that infects us all to some degree or another.
I realize that all these things above are part of “the human condition”, but I must also acknowledge that God’s Word tells us to put away the things of this world. We, through our subjection to His work of sanctification in our lives, must strive to become less like the world and more like the Word.
Your insightful post helps put us back onto that right path my friend. Your words are like bowling bumpers that help us get down the lane. God’s blessings and thank you for your kindness for my delay in reading, sharing, and commenting. All my best to you and yours sir.
Somehow, your response got past me, J.D., and I am so very sorry that it did–never want to miss anything from you, especially whtn it’s such a strong reinforcement of the truth that is being so assaulted these days. Your reminder of Peter’s admonition is a nudge from the Holy Spirit for sure, and it’s one of those directives we like to read over and pretend it’s for some other time or place, like when we’re sitting quietly in church or at some other sanctified environment. Thinking about our Father’s call to be like him when I’m fighting the crowd at WalMart is a bit more challenging, but maybe even more important.
You’re so right about the devil’s predators, too. I watched the shepherd’s dogs working the sheep in Israel last year, and I get this picture of the devil’s hounds doing the same thing with the lost of this world–constantly guiding them away from people and places where the Gospel might be proclaimed and the love of Jesus Christ displayed. It’s just another way to remind myself that this world is a spiritual battleground and we can never assume that the enemy isn’t actively working to nullify our efforts and tarnish our testimony. I love your reminder that we’re to be less like the world and more like the Word.
Once again, my friend, I’m so sorry for having missed this when you sent it, but so glad I found it. You are a treasure to Diane and me and we love watching God use you to plant seeds in places other than the Cross-Dubya, and that will grow in ways that droughts can’t touch.
I so appreciated your detailed analysis here, Ron. I’ve often found myself wondering the same thing – what made Jesus say this? How does this apply to me and my life?
You’ve certainly lifted the curtain for me.
It reminds me, too, of Jesus’ admonition to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what’s God’s. The holiness He has designed for our lives is the best gift of all, and should never be squandered.
Blessings!
What an encouragement you always bring, Martha. With all the flaws I see daily and the past failures in my life, it’s really hard for me to see myself like God sees me. I know that He has a totally different perspective, and I’m incredibly grateful that He does, but it’s a struggle to apply what it implies. That special sanctification that He conferred to us is something that we ought to be consciously living out every day–not in some kind of arrogant, “I’m so special” kind of way, but in a “Look who I am honored to represent” kind of way. I love reading about the ways you do that with your family, especially the “grands.” God bless you, my friend, and may God help us both to keep who we are and Who we represent in the forefront of our lives and my He enable us to project some Good News into this dark and foreboding world around us.