I grew up in the country. And if you grow up in the country, you gain an education you won’t find in any classroom. Some lessons don’t come from books—they come from barns, fields, and sometimes… from pigs.
Now, before I talk about pigs, let me tell you a little about where I’m coming from.
One of my brothers raised Quarter horses. When our folks were gone, we had what you might call our own “rodeo.” We broke horses—or tried to. We rode calves—or attempted to. It was all exciting… until one day, a neighbor friend introduced us to something new.
“Have you ever ridden a hog?”
Now I’m not talking about a Harley.
We didn’t even know such a thing could be done. But being young and full of curiosity (and not much wisdom), we decided to try it. So one Sunday, we went over to give it a shot.
Now, if you know anything about pigs, you know this: they have a natural tendency toward mud. They don’t have to be taught it. It’s in their nature.
And these hogs were no exception.
We climbed on, trying to balance ourselves—because there’s nothing to hold onto. That alone was a challenge. But what happened next was predictable: those hogs made a straight line for the mud hole.
And before long… we were just as muddy—and just as smelly—as the pigs.
That’s when I learned two lessons I’ve never forgotten:
First, if you wrestle with a pig, you’re going to get muddy.
Second, the pig enjoys it.
A Spiritual Lesson from the Mud
Now you may be sitting there thinking, “Why in the world would anyone wrestle a pig?”
That’s a fair question.
But let me ask you this:
How often do we do the same thing with people?
Jesus gave us a warning in the Gospel of Matthew 7:6:
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine…”
Why did He say that?
Because some people don’t value truth, they don’t desire understanding. They don’t seek righteousness.
But they do understand strife.
They do understand conflict.
And if you engage them on those terms… they will gladly pull you into the mud.
When We Become the Pig
Before we look around at others, we need to look at ourselves.
Let’s be honest:
At one time or another, we have all acted like the pig.
If that were not true, Jesus would not have used such a comparison.
The Apostle Paul wrote in the Epistle to the Galatians 5:20:
“Hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife…”
And James said in the Epistle of James 3:16:
“For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”
Strife doesn’t produce righteousness.
It produces confusion, division, and spiritual decay.
Staying in Control
I’ve watched the 4-H Fair over the years, especially the showmanship competitions.
What fascinates me most… is the pigs.
Those young kids can guide those animals around obstacles, through gates, and into pens.
How do they do it?
They stay in control.
They don’t wrestle the pig.
They don’t lose their composure.
They don’t get dragged into the mud.
And that is the key to the Christian life.
The Bible tells us in the Epistle to the Ephesians 4:26:
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.”
Anger itself is not the sin.
Losing control is.
When you lose control, you surrender your testimony.
Understanding People (and Yourself)
Much of our conflict comes from not understanding ourselves—or others.
People respond differently because different needs drive them:
- Some seek attention and excitement
- Some seek order and precision
- Some seek control and results
- Some seek harmony and peace
None of these is wrong in itself.
But when those desires are not surrendered to Christ, they turn into:
- Pride
- Manipulation
- Withdrawal
- Control
And that is when conflict begins.
The disciples themselves struggled with this. In the Gospel of Luke 22:24:
“And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.”
If the disciples had strife… we should not be surprised when we face it.
The Root Problem: Carnality
Paul speaks plainly in First Epistle to the Corinthians 3:3:
“For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions…”
Strife is not a personality issue.
It is a spiritual issue.
It reveals a heart not fully surrendered.
The Battle for Control
When someone “pushes your buttons,” what are they really doing?
They are testing who is in control.
- Your flesh?
- Or the Spirit of God?
The Bible says in the Epistle to the Romans 12:21:
“Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
When you react in anger, you’ve already lost the battle.
When you respond in Christlikeness, you stay in control.
The Importance of Trust
Many conflicts persist because trust is broken.
If a person does not trust you:
- They will not hear you
- They will not follow you
- They will not respect you
Trust is not built through arguments.
It is built through consistent Christlike behavior.
The Bible says in First Epistle to Timothy 4:12:
“Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Two Kinds of People
There are ultimately two kinds of people:
1. Those who walk by faith
Their trust is in God.
Their lives are surrendered.
2. Those who avoid faith
They live on the surface.
They avoid surrender.
They maintain control of their own lives.
And this second group often appears religious… but lacks spiritual power.
As Paul warned in Second Epistle to Timothy 3:5:
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…”
A Sobering Reality
There is a danger in living a shallow spiritual life.
A man may say:
- “Christ is my Savior”
- “I go to church.”
- “I believe the Bible.”
And yet never truly surrender his will.
Until one day… a crisis comes.
And suddenly he realizes:
His faith was not real.
It was only an appearance.
The Call to Surrender
If you find yourself constantly in strife…
If you are always being pulled into the mud…
If you have lost your peace…
Then perhaps the issue is not “them.”
Perhaps the issue is surrender.
Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke 9:23:
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
You cannot walk in victory while holding onto yourself.
You cannot have peace while defending your flesh.
Final Thought: Stay Out of the Mud
You don’t have to wrestle every pig.
You don’t have to answer every argument.
You don’t have to prove every point.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do… is walk away.
The Bible says in the Book of Proverbs 26:4:
“Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.”
Because if you stay in the mud long enough…
You’ll start to smell like it.
Closing Appeal
If your life has become a cycle of frustration, conflict, and spiritual dryness…
There is a better way.
Not through control.
Not through argument.
Not through force.
But through surrender.
Yield your life to Christ.
Let Him take control.
And you will discover something the world cannot give—
Peace of mind.
Clarity of spirit.
Victory over the flesh.
And most importantly…
You’ll stop fighting pigs.
