Lesson 142:
”How to Catch a Wild Pig”
Kentucky Chaplain David Chaltas --
I received a message containing something that made me start thinking. I call it, “How to catch a wild pig”. I am not sure of the author but it triggered within my mind a paradox to our great country, heritage. The greatest realization came when I began reflecting upon our freedom of religion. I wish to share it with you and my reflections upon the symbolism. “You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. Our freedoms are not taken from us in one big move but gradually a little at a time. Slowly the encroachment advances. The towers are taken floor by floor until it collapses. And so it is with America. We are seeing more and more of our basic rights of free speech, guaranteed by the forefathers and the Constitution, slowly being dissolved and taken from us. Our heritage is being stripped from us on a daily basis. The micromanagement of the individual as to what he can wear, say, and salute is being questioned. The glorious flags of our fathers are being shown as a flag of our shame. Our Southern heritage, our Melungeon roots, and pride of Americans are being questioned in the name of political correctness. But all that pales in comparison to the rapid erosion of our religious freedom. Under God, is under attack. In God we trust is seen as untrustworthy. Praying to our God is not allowed in certain public functions. What is next? I remember the Bible teaching of Daniel’s faith during his trial (Daniel 6: 16-24), as he refused to deny his God and was thrown in the Lions Den. I remember three men of courage that would not bend; they would not bow and was thrown into the fire. Major Thomas Jackson, while at Lexington, Virginia, teaching at VMI, refused to follow the government’s directive when it came to violating his principles of affording an opportunity to read to black children. Christ refused to follow the path of evil and instead chose to make the Pharisees angry at his teachings of love, duty and love of God. He drove the moneylenders from the temple and refused to follow any law contrary to the law of God. These were men of valor, men of uncompromising virtue. These men of yesterday are the hope of today. We must embrace the old path and remember that freedom is never free. Our heritage is not for sell at any price. Our faith is uncompromising in its devotion. Our love is unending for the cause. Let us be bold in Christ and offer God’s name at the table of man. Wear a cross, sign of the Fisherman, or symbol of Christ wherever you may go and proclaim Him to the ends of the earth. So is our great commission. Let us never become complacent in the eyes of the world and let us remain vigilant so that the gate will not be closed slowly around us. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. I believe in America. I believe as the founding fathers. I believe that we can once again embrace the principles that make this country great. I believe that it is our destiny to serve our Country, under God, with liberty towards all. Keeping an eye out for those fences, I remain your obedient servant in Christ, the old general.
When they get used to the fence and they begin to eat the corn again, you put up another side of the fence.
You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate on the last side. The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat; you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.
Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn.
They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.”