Pigs are on the list of “don’t eat” foods in
the Bible for a reason. They will eat anything, and I mean anything. And in
cultures where indoor plumbing did not exist, … well you get the picture.
Have you ever watched a pig eating? They use
their nose to push through whatever contains food, whether it be mud or leaves.
They don’t care if the food is dirty or clean, they just eat it, dirt and all,
their nose pushing and moving the material.
So, to put a gold ring in a pig’s nose really
is a tremendous waste of a resource. The pig doesn’t appreciate the ring, and
the activity of the pig hides the value of the ring from everyone else. The
ring doesn’t lose value, but the value is unclaimed. You could put the ring
just about anywhere else on a farm and the value would be noticed.
In the movies Hollywood tries to portray women
without discretion in very particular ways. Either they are worn out from their
work and look it, or they are incredibly beautiful, untouched by their
occupation. And in our culture, it is almost acceptable to be this, until the
wives find out. Even our culture which lacks any common core values draws a
line in the sand sometimes!
The movie Pretty Woman illustrates our text. Julia Robert’s beauty is wasted
as a prostitute. She deserves more than this (or at least that is what her
beauty says). One of the male characters is willing to recognize and act on
this contradiction when he tries to purchase her services. To him her beauty is
not even seen. She is just an object to be used.
Many things in life hide the value of Christ
in us. Our actions can do so much to our dismay. One choice can mar a reputation
built over decades. Billy Graham is an example of someone who has kept Christ
at the forefront for his entire ministry. His gold ring shines brightly. He
purposed to live a life that honored Christ, and he has lived such a life.