A Woman, Pigs, and God

Chapter 1
When You Go Out into the World, Hit the Ground Running
(or at Least Walking or Even Crawling)
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.”
—Luke 12:22

When piglets are born, their natural instincts are to find their mother’s teat and begin to suckle. Most piglets are born, begin breathing, stand on their feet, start smelling and finding their way to a teat, and then start to suckle all within a thirty-second to one-minute span of time. The newborns on the farm have an innate energy to begin life with determination. Baby humans have similar instincts to breathe and suckle on their mother when they are born; however, standing on their feet and walking takes a longer amount of time. We rely on our parents for all our basic needs for many years. During that time, we learn valuable skills not only in taking care of the basic needs of feeding, cleaning, and clothing ourselves, but we also learn the skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Children are exposed to social situations and career possibilities while dreaming of their future in the “real world.”
Often, though, when it is time to go out into the real world, young adults are hesitant, frightened, and unsure of themselves even after eighteen years of preparation. They have spent much of this time dreaming and wishing about their future, yet when the future finally arrives, they are unprepared and unsure of themselves. Instead of being children of the world, we should trust in the truth that we are children of God and can follow in God’s footsteps. When Jesus was born, he was a baby who relied on Mary and Joseph for all his needs. As he grew older, he had the ability to begin preaching at a young age of twelve.
We know that Jesus was still a young boy when he went into the world and preached. According to Luke 2:40, “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.” Luke 2:46–47 states, “After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.”
After eighteen years of growing and learning, many of us are too hesitant and fearful to go out into the world running. Yet piglets do this instantaneously. They know instinctively they must be fearless and confident to search for their mother’s teat. They go out into the world, seconds after being born, moving in a positive direction. Shouldn’t we have that conviction and security to have that fearless certainty after eighteen years?
What allowed Jesus to have that confidence to step out into the world and make an immediate impact? It was knowing he had the grace of God on him. Jesus trusted that God had a plan for his life. Jesus knew the Word of God and knew that God was in control. Jesus had his purpose and trusted in it. Do you know your purpose? Could this lack of believing in the grace of God and knowledge of the plan he has for you be keeping you from having confidence to hit the ground running? If so, take some time to get to know God. Start taking time to pray, read the Bible, attend church, or go to a Bible study small-group class.
Are you already hitting the ground running? Do you know your purpose? Are you continuing to have confidence, or are doubts entering your mind, causing you to question the confidence that you are following God’s plan? If this is the case, continue to pray with confidence. According to James 1:6, “But, when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” Keep in the grace of God by reading the Bible, attending small groups, and connecting with others in the body of Christ. Remember, it is OK to ask questions as Jesus did as a young boy. Just be mindful to prevent those questions from becoming the entranceway of doubt and fear in your heart.