For some time now, I have been perplexed by a specific passage of scripture. For that matter, I would avoid it entirely and pass it by. The event seemed so out of character for Jesus that surely it was a misprint. But there it was, told in both Matthew (15:21-28) and Mark (7:24-30). Jesus had just fed 5,000 people and walked on the water. Now he had taken his disciples out of Jewish lands and into the lands of their mortal enemy, the Canaanites. A woman comes up to Jesus and begs him to heal her daughter. Jesus did not respond at first and the disciples quickly urged him to send her away. Yet she was persistent and ran up to him falling at his feet saying, Lord help me. He responded by saying, What I have is ONLY for the lost sheep of Israel. Right here I found Jesus at his most human. He has a mortal enemy of the people before him. It is basic human nature to not help our enemies. She grew more persistent and Jesus responded back in a way that seems very familiar to us mortals: It is not right to take the childrens bread and toss it to dogs. Jesus actually inferred she was no better than a dog! This Canaanite woman responded in the most perfect way saying: Yes Lord, but even dogs get to eat the scraps that fall from the childrens plate. Jesus was so moved that her daughter was healed at that very moment. But the reality hit me: Jesus at his worst was still better than most of us at our best. He put his feelings aside and ministered, even to perceived enemies of the people. And he says the works he does, we should also do. Just my musings today...
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 21:08:44 +0000
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