Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

"And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly."

This is out of Matthew chapter 15. I have read this scripture many times before, but I got stuck on the following dialogue between Jesus and the Canaanite Woman. Jesus is walking through Tyre and Sidon among people in the day that were despised. Then I noticed what Jesus says to her, "It is not right to take the Children's bread and throw it to the dogs." And she replies "Yes Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the masters' table."

I meditated on this a while to figure this out. The Children are God's chosen people, the bread is Jesus and the dogs are those who I would assume reject Christ. But the faith the woman had as she is in the streets pleading, and shouting to Jesus to heal her daughter. She was a person rejected by many, and she would settle to get the mere crumbs, leftovers of what Jesus had to offer. And Jesus showed her compassion and because of her faith her daughter was healed.

I would love to hear your thoughts, or what God may have revealed to you in this scripture.

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