“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
Matthew 7:6 (KJV)
This teaching from Jesus reminds us that wisdom requires timing. Truth is powerful, but the human heart must be ready to receive it. When truth comes too early, it may be rejected, misunderstood, or even resisted.
THE FARMER AND THE STONE FIELD
In an ancient African village surrounded by tall iroko trees and fertile valleys, there lived a young farmer whom the villagers nicknamed “Obi Mechiri Emechi.”
The name did not refer to his birth name, but to his character. In the Igbo understanding, “Obi mechiri emechi” means a closed heart, a heart that refuses counsel, wisdom, or correction.
This young farmer was known for his enthusiasm and his desire to harvest crops earlier than everyone else. Yet he rarely listened to advice.
At the beginning of one planting season, he rushed to sow his precious yam seeds before the rains had softened the earth. The soil was dry and hardened by months of scorching sun. The elders of the village warned him.
“Obi Mechiri Emechi,” one elder said gently,
“the earth must first drink the rain before it can welcome the seed.”
But the young farmer believed that planting early meant harvesting early. He ignored their counsel and scattered his seeds across the field.
Weeks later, when the rains finally came, the seeds had already dried and died beneath the hardened soil. They never sprouted.
Nearby, the patient farmers waited for the first heavy rains before planting. Their seeds sank into softened earth and soon grew into strong vines with abundant harvests.
The elders gathered the youth and said:
“Seeds are not only about planting; they are about timing. Even the best seed fails in a stubborn ground.”
Then they added:
“A person with obi mechiri emechi cannot receive wisdom until life itself softens the heart.”
In the same way, truth is a seed. It requires a heart that has been softened by experience, humility, and reflection.
REFLECTION
Truth and timing often walk together. A truth spoken too soon may appear harsh or arrogant, while the same truth spoken later may be welcomed as wisdom.
People grow through seasons of learning. Sometimes a person rejects advice today but understands it years later when life has prepared the heart.
Just as a farmer waits for the rain before planting, wise people learn to wait for the right moment before speaking certain truths. When the heart becomes open, truth begins to grow naturally.
CLOSING WISDOM
- Truth requires the right timing to produce transformation.
- A heart with obi mechiri emechi (a closed heart) cannot receive wisdom.
- Patience is often more powerful than persuasion.
- Wisdom lies not only in knowing truth but also in knowing when to speak it.
- When hearts are softened by experience and humility, truth blossoms naturally.
In life, truth is like a seed carried by the wind. It travels far and wide, but it only grows where the soil is ready.
Therefore, the wise person does not merely speak truth, they wait for the season when truth can live.
