Do Not Cast Your Pearls Before Swine: A Lesson in Discernment
“Do not cast your pearls before swine” is one of those biblical phrases that gets quoted often, yet is rarely unpacked with care. Why does it resonate across centuries? What does it actually mean for us today?
At face value, it can sound harsh. Even dismissive. But when Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 7:6, He wasn’t issuing a command rooted in pride or exclusion. He was offering wisdom — the kind that protects the soul.
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot and turn and tear you to pieces.”
— Matthew 7:6
This teaching isn’t about deciding who is “worthy” or “unworthy.” Instead, it’s a call to recognize the sacredness of our experiences and the wisdom needed to share them well.
It’s about discernment, stewardship, and spiritual maturity.
Understanding the Imagery
In Jesus’ time, pearls were not decorative accessories. They were rare, costly, and deeply valued — often symbolising wisdom, truth, and spiritual revelation. A pearl was something to be treasured. Pigs, on the other hand, were considered unclean animals. Not because they were malicious, but because they lacked the capacity to discern value. A pearl placed before a pig would not be admired or protected — it would be crushed, trampled, or discarded. The issue was never the pearl and it was never about insulting the pig. It was about misplaced offering. Jesus was making a clear point, that Sacred things require discerning environments.
What the “Pearls” Represent Today
In our lives, pearls often show up as things that are deeply personal and spiritually weighty:
Vulnerability and openness
Testimony and lived experience
Convictions shaped by faith
Healing that is still tender
Wisdom gained through pain
These are not casual offerings. They carry cost, yet many of us give them freely, sometimes too freely, believing that love requires unlimited access, explanation, and exposure. Jesus gently disrupts that idea.
Discernment Is Not Arrogance
One of the most misunderstood aspects of this teaching is the assumption that discernment equals judgment. It doesn’t.
Discernment simply asks:
Is this person open, or defensive?
Is this space safe, or hostile?
Will this truth be received, or weaponised?
Will this exchange produce fruit, or fracture?
Discernment doesn’t say, “I’m better than you.” It says, “This may not be the right place for this.”
There is a difference between loving someone and giving them unrestricted access to your inner world. When Truth Is Shared Without Wisdom, many people have experienced the quiet pain of offering something sacred only to have it mishandled.
You share your testimony — and it’s dismissed.
You express your convictions — and they’re mocked.
You open up about your healing — and it’s later used against you.
This is what Jesus was warning against, not because truth is fragile — but because people are not always ready for it. When pearls are cast into unreceptive spaces, the result is rarely growth. Often, it’s harm. Sometimes to the listener — but frequently to the giver. Jesus Modeled This Himself, That’s what makes this teaching especially powerful, Jesus didn’t just speak it — He lived it. He spoke in parables to the crowds, offering truth in a form that invited curiosity without forcing understanding. He explained deeper meaning privately to His disciples, who had posture and proximity.
And when questioned by Herod — someone seeking entertainment, not transformation — Jesus chose silence.
That silence wasn’t weakness. It was wisdom. Jesus knew that not every moment called for explanation. Not every audience deserved access. Not every question was asked in good faith.
Love Does Not Require Overexposure
One of the hardest truths for many people — especially those who are empathetic, faith-driven, or relational, is learning that love and access are not the same thing.
You can love people deeply and still:
Set boundaries
Withhold certain details
Choose silence
Protect what is still forming
The Bible does not call us to be reckless with what is holy. It calls us to steward it well. Stewardship requires wisdom and wisdom requires restraint.
A Necessary Nuance
This teaching does not give permission to:
Be dismissive or cruel
Hoard truth out of pride
Avoid difficult conversations out of fear
Dehumanise others
Instead, it invites humility:
To recognise that timing matters, That readiness matters and that some seeds need prepared soil.
Even Jesus did not reveal everything at once, he often said, “You are not ready yet.”
In Essence
Casting pearls before swine is not about withholding love. It’s about honouring what God has entrusted to you.
It’s understanding that:
Not everyone can steward your vulnerability
Not every space can hold your truth
Not every relationship is entitled to your depth
Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is pause, protect, and pray, rather than explain.
Because pearls are precious. So as you move forward, consider not just what you share, but with whom and when. Let wisdom, not fear or pride, guide your stewardship of what is most sacred and wisdom knows where, and when to place them.
