Included in the Family: A Canaanite Woman Read Mark 7:24–30 Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed. Genesis 22:18 Abeedah was a foreign exchange student at an American university, and one of her professors invited her to church. Though raised Muslim, she was curious about Christianity and accepted the invitation. When all the students cleared out of campus in the middle of December, Abeedah was left alone in her quiet dorm. But then her professor and his wife asked her to join their family for a Christmas celebration. When each of their children presented her with a gift, Abeedah was surprised and touched at being included in their family’s celebration. Though Jesus was trying to keep a low profile as He moved through Tyre, another “outsider” learned where He was staying (v. 24). The woman, a Greek, was born in Syrian Phoenicia. Her daughter had been possessed by an impure spirit, and this desperate mother threw herself at Jesus’ feet, begging for His help. At this point in the text we might be surprised to see Jesus’ answer. Perhaps provocatively, He articulated what His disciples were surely thinking: an “outsider” didn’t deserve the same gifts as God’s chosen people. This woman showed spiritual and theological insight, and she protested on behalf of her daughter, “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs” (v. 28). She demonstrated her faith in the Master’s hand, and Jesus healed her daughter that moment. Receiving God’s gracious gifts—healing, salvation, inclusion into God’s family—was never meant to be the exclusive right of the Jews. Rather, God had always intended to save other nations through the Jews. A desperate mother and her tortured daughter experienced God’s goodness through Jesus, who shared God’s gifts freely. The eternal plan of God to bless all nations is the same today as it was then! If there is a college or university nearby, you have a global mission field at your doorstep! Many international students long to build relationships with local families, and many are lonely while far away from home. Contact the student services department to see how you or your church could extend hospitality to these young people in the name of Jesus.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 20:10:36 +0000
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