Dare 2 Share - It hasn’t been often, but there have been a few times when I have been called a pig. Not so much for poor bathing behaviors- rather the condition of my room, my car, etc. I guess the logic behind it was that since my immediate surroundings lacked, shall we say, “organizational structure”- (i.e. it looked like a pig pen) - then naturally I must be the pig who was responsible.
Those of you out there who also suffer from being “orderly challenged” can understand. It’s not so much that we hate things being tidy, it’s just that our life motto isn’t “a place for everything, and everything in its place”…or something like that.
Either way, being called a pig is a definite wake up call, because no one wants to be associated with those dirty, disgusting animals...
Actually I can think of many animals that are worse than pigs, because did you know that our Porky friends are actually quite clean and intelligent? Not only that, but man can they bring home the bacon!
At the risk of hogging up too much of your time, I actually do have a point. Remember the guy in the Bible who started rich and ended up with the razorbacks? Here’s the full story that Jesus told:
Then he said, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, "Father, I want right now what's coming to me.' "So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any. "That brought him to his senses. He said, "All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him, Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father. "When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: "Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.' "But the father wasn't listening. He was calling to the servants, "Quick. Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here--given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time. (Luke 15:11-24)
The funny thing about this story is that it took a pig pen experience to bring this poor fellow to his senses. He thought his home was boring, his parents too strict, his chores too hard, and his life too short to not have all the fun he could as soon as he could. I’m sure he'd often be overheard saying something like: “dude- living at home is like such a drag. I can’t wait until I’m outta here and have my freedom!”
So he got his freedom, and pretty soon after he'd often be overheard saying: “oink…oink oink”- because all his party loving friends left about the same time as his money. I guess someone should have told him he would ‘sow’ what he reaped.
That story should be a constant reminder that the pig pen is only a few decisions away. If you’ve been there you know what I mean- and you never want to go back. If you’ve never been in the swine service before, I don’t recommend it. Maybe you think things are tough because you can’t party like the unsaved do? Or perhaps you think the grass is greener in the world of the unsaved? I’ve got one word for you…oink. If you think that there is a better path in life than the life of Christ, you’ve got another corncob coming.
So where are you today?
If your desire is to go and try the world out, wait until God opens the door for you. He has the perfect plan, but you must be patient…and I guarantee His way will not leave you huddled with the hogs.
If you are headed down warthog way in your lifestyle- turn around! Your heavenly Father is waiting with open arms at anytime-
Here’s a message from God to you- no matter where you are right now:
"I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you"
Maybe today is the day you need to decide to “pig out”!
Questions:
1) On a scale of 1-10, how content are you with your present circumstances?
2) What kind of supposedly “better” life is Satan tempting you with?
3) Do you have any friends or family that need to know that God has the key to let them out of the ‘pig pen’?
Memory Verses:
Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out." This is GOD's Message: "If your sins are blood-red, they'll be snow-white.
If they're red like crimson, they'll be like wool. If you'll willingly obey, you'll feast like kings. (Isaiah 1:18-19)
