‘Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Questions for Reflection:

What is valuable to you about your faith? What is unique to you about Jesus?

I wonder how much understanding we can on this passage from parenting. Parents know not to give everything to their children and spoil them. We also know not to neglect them. But, I don’t know if we can simply impose these categories on God. What does it mean that God knows how to give good things?

I wonder what Jesus meant by good things.

Jesus has already taught us how to pray in the Sermon on the Mount. I wonder what he means to add to prayer, if anything, with this teaching.