You’ve heard the saying of Jesus, “Do not cast your pearls before swine.”

The basic meaning of that is don’t share yourself… your truth… your life… anything of yourself that is of value to you, important to you… with those who won’t appreciate it.

They’ll trample it underfoot. Not necessarily out of anger. Pigs just trample pearls underfoot because they mean nothing to them.

You have the right to not share what is valuable about yourself with others who won’t get it, won’t understand it, won’t appreciate it. You do not need to give yourself away to those for whom it means nothing.

Jesus was an expert at this. It infuriated the religious leaders because they always wanted to trap him. That was the main motivation of their questions. Not curiosity or a desire to know.

Now, I cast my pearls out into the world every day. Some are sweet people and some are swine. That’s how I roll. But when it comes to more immediate relationships, I apply this principle.

When you train your mind, heart and ear to discern, you can tell when someone’s asking you out of a malicious desire to catch you OR out of a sincere desire to know.

Withhold your pearls from the first. No explanation needed. That’s just another pearl that means nothing to them.

Give your pearls to the second. They will appreciate their value and treasure them.