Truth of Pigs

April 16, 2009 
Jumping to Conclusions 
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth 
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32)

Friend to Friend 
I read a bumper sticker once that read, "If mother's place is in the home, why am I always in the car?"  Welcome to the new millennium where the car is indeed the moving extension of the home.  Whether it's a mother running carpool, a business woman sitting in commuter traffic, or a senior citizen volunteering in the community, the fact is, we live much of our lives in the car.   That means God is in the car with us and speaks to its mobile inhabitants. One such "moving" experience taught me about the importance of not jumping to conclusions.

John 8:32 is one of my favorite Bible verses.  So much so, that I had the fine people at the license plate bureau make me a personalized plate that read just that - JOHN 8:32.   The verse reads, "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

My good friend Mari noticed my license plate for the first time as we passed one day on the highway, and made a mental note to look up the verse when she arrived home.  After she found the verse, she spent some time meditating and wondering why in the world I would put that verse on my license plate. She looked again to see if she was missing some deep meaning. Maybe it was a joke.

Mari gave me a call and asked, "What possessed you to put a Bible verse about pigs on your license plate?"

"What are you talking about, Mari?"

"You know.  You have Luke 8:32 on your license plate."

The problem was, Mari had remembered the verse as Luke 8:32, not John 8:32.  That verse read, "Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons entreated him to permit them to enter the swine.  And He gave them permission."  Can't you see it now, bumper stickers that read, "When pigs flew, Luke 8:32." Or, a Chick-fil-A billboard with Luke 8:32 written in the bottom right hand corner with a pig saying "Eat More Chicken."

After I set Mari straight, telling her that she had the right verse but the wrong book, we had a good chuckle.  However, it was a "moving" experience for me.  The next time I question someone's motives or actions, I need to remember that I usually don't have all the facts.  I might have the right chapter and even the right verse, but I may be in the wrong book altogether. And that can make the difference between demon possessed pigs and the truth that will set you free.

Let's Pray 
Dear Lord, help me to not jump to conclusions and make quick judgments.  Help me always to realize that I don't have all the facts when it comes to another person's attitude, actions and reactions.  Give me a gracious and loving spirit that always thinks the best of others and closed lips when I don't.

In Jesus' Name, 
Amen

Now It's Your Turn  

• Think of a time when you jumped to a conclusion and it turned out to be completely wrong.  
• How would it have been better to wait until you had all the facts?  
• What emotions could have been avoided if you had waited to get the facts correct?