Crumbs
Read Matthew 14-15.
When our kids were little, our dog quickly learned that the best place in the house to hang out was under their high chair. At mealtime, it was a veritable smorgasbord of food samplings dropping down from on high. I don't think we had to sweep that area the whole time they were babies, because the dog did such a good job of cleaning up. Sure, it was only crumbs (though some crumbs were larger than others), but to Gideon, our cocker spaniel, it was a feast. He was happy to get even the crumbs.
I always think of that image whenever I read about the Canaanite woman who stood up to Jesus. Canaan, of course, was what the land had been called centuries before, when Israel conquered the land. They were given instructions to drive out all the Canaanites, but instead they made a deal with some of them so that, centuries later, there were still Canaanites around. This woman, a descendent of ancient Israel's enemies, comes to Jesus asking for healing for her daughter.
It's uncharacteristic of Jesus, at least as we usually see him, to ignore her, and yet he does for a time, until his disciples begin to get annoyed with her constant yelling. Even then, he says a rather uncharacteristic thing: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel" (15:24). He puts her off! Was he testing her? Provoking her? Seeing how desperately she wants her daughter to be healed? Or was he serious? Whatever the motivation behind Jesus' seemingly harsh statement, the woman stands up to him. When he says it isn't right to take food from the children and toss it to the dogs (so he's calling her and her people dogs?), she comes right back at him: "Even the dogs get the crumbs." And that is the response that prompts Jesus to heal her daughter.
Think about this story in the larger context for a moment. Jesus is busy healing and doing some teaching (but mostly healing and doing other miracles in these chapters). We're not told all the specifics of the healing, or if his healing activity was restricted only to Israelites. (It's likely in the "surrounding area" of Gennesaret that there were probably one or two or more non-Israelites who came for healing.) He feeds anyone who comes to hear him (twice!). People who weren't Israelites are being blessed all over the place. Why push this woman?
Some say he's trying to test her faith. I'm not sure that's what's happening here. I think Jesus is using this as a teaching moment for the others gathered around. I believe Jesus fully intended to heal her daughter, just as he has already healed so many nameless ones in these chapters. But Jesus wants to make a point: when the kingdom begins to break in, all sorts of people are touched by the grace of God. Even those at whom it's not initially aimed—they even find the "crumbs" bless and heal them as well.
Think of it this way: a church heads out to repair a neighborhood. Generally, they don't go door to door to only help those who are Christians. They just set out to help anyone they can. Let's say a neighborhood is restored, and even a healing in race relations begins. The grace of God is poured out, and it even begins to touch those in surrounding areas, perhaps even a whole city. You can't control where the crumbs go; you can't control where the grace goes once it's poured out in a city.
Or think about this: a church closes and an administrator decides to turn the building into a community center. All of a sudden, people are being blessed, healed and given hope—people who never would have entered the doors when it was a church find their lives transformed by the love and grace of God. Grace knows no boundaries; everyone is touched by the crumbs.
Jesus isn't testing this woman. He's allowing her to serve as a reminder that God's grace is lavish and touches even those we don't think it should.
When our kids were little, our dog quickly learned that the best place in the house to hang out was under their high chair. At mealtime, it was a veritable smorgasbord of food samplings dropping down from on high. I don't think we had to sweep that area the whole time they were babies, because the dog did such a good job of cleaning up. Sure, it was only crumbs (though some crumbs were larger than others), but to Gideon, our cocker spaniel, it was a feast. He was happy to get even the crumbs.
I always think of that image whenever I read about the Canaanite woman who stood up to Jesus. Canaan, of course, was what the land had been called centuries before, when Israel conquered the land. They were given instructions to drive out all the Canaanites, but instead they made a deal with some of them so that, centuries later, there were still Canaanites around. This woman, a descendent of ancient Israel's enemies, comes to Jesus asking for healing for her daughter.
It's uncharacteristic of Jesus, at least as we usually see him, to ignore her, and yet he does for a time, until his disciples begin to get annoyed with her constant yelling. Even then, he says a rather uncharacteristic thing: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel" (15:24). He puts her off! Was he testing her? Provoking her? Seeing how desperately she wants her daughter to be healed? Or was he serious? Whatever the motivation behind Jesus' seemingly harsh statement, the woman stands up to him. When he says it isn't right to take food from the children and toss it to the dogs (so he's calling her and her people dogs?), she comes right back at him: "Even the dogs get the crumbs." And that is the response that prompts Jesus to heal her daughter.
Think about this story in the larger context for a moment. Jesus is busy healing and doing some teaching (but mostly healing and doing other miracles in these chapters). We're not told all the specifics of the healing, or if his healing activity was restricted only to Israelites. (It's likely in the "surrounding area" of Gennesaret that there were probably one or two or more non-Israelites who came for healing.) He feeds anyone who comes to hear him (twice!). People who weren't Israelites are being blessed all over the place. Why push this woman?
Some say he's trying to test her faith. I'm not sure that's what's happening here. I think Jesus is using this as a teaching moment for the others gathered around. I believe Jesus fully intended to heal her daughter, just as he has already healed so many nameless ones in these chapters. But Jesus wants to make a point: when the kingdom begins to break in, all sorts of people are touched by the grace of God. Even those at whom it's not initially aimed—they even find the "crumbs" bless and heal them as well.
Think of it this way: a church heads out to repair a neighborhood. Generally, they don't go door to door to only help those who are Christians. They just set out to help anyone they can. Let's say a neighborhood is restored, and even a healing in race relations begins. The grace of God is poured out, and it even begins to touch those in surrounding areas, perhaps even a whole city. You can't control where the crumbs go; you can't control where the grace goes once it's poured out in a city.
Or think about this: a church closes and an administrator decides to turn the building into a community center. All of a sudden, people are being blessed, healed and given hope—people who never would have entered the doors when it was a church find their lives transformed by the love and grace of God. Grace knows no boundaries; everyone is touched by the crumbs.
Jesus isn't testing this woman. He's allowing her to serve as a reminder that God's grace is lavish and touches even those we don't think it should.
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