A Short Story of the Pig and the Pastor

Sometimes we forget how helpful it can be to someone when we offer them advice. This funny little story will remind you that when you help someone by giving them advice, you are truly giving something of yourself.

While working on a sermon, a pastor heard a knock at his office door.

“Come in,” he invited. A contrite-looking man in threadbare clothes came in, pulling a large pig on a rope.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” asked the man with his hat in his hand. The pastor showed him to a chair and the man sat down in it gingerly. The pig proceeded to sniff around the office. With one eye on the animal and one eye on the man, the pastor folded his hands on his desk and leaned forward, curious to hear the fellow’s story.

“What can I do for you?” asked the pastor.

“My family is hungry,” started the poor man. “So I stole this pig. But I feel that I have sinned. Would you please take it?”

“Certainly not,” said the pastor.

“Then what should I do with it?” asked the man.

“Give it back to the man you stole it from, of course!” the pastor explained.

“I offered it to him, but he refused to take it. Now what should I do?”

“In that case,” the pastor said, “It would be all right for you to keep it and feed your family.”

That seemed to settle things as far as the man was concerned. “Thank you for your help, sir,” he said. He walked out of the office, leading the pig on the rope behind him.

Later that afternoon the pastor returned home. When he arrived, he had a little surprise in store—somebody had stolen his prize pig.

SOURCE: Hamel Lutheran Jokes and Christian Humor, August 13, 1999.