Running after Jesus

Jesus went out from there, and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely demonized!”

But he answered her not a word.

His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”

But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.       Matthew 15:21-28 (WEB)

Do you find Scriptures where God does not respond in the way that you expect – troubling? Yes, I do, too. There are passages where God is furious (yes, I do see the justice and logic) and wipes out entire civilizations! There are passages that describe gallons of blood and not an animal or child was left! Too often it may be generally thought that these passages only occurred in the OLD Testament and Jesus is always gentle and loving. Hmm. He does not respond to this woman’s pleas for her daughter with love and concern, does He? Why is that?

One answer spoke to my heart. Jesus came to walk roads that I may walk. Roads that are difficult and unjust and when I find myself in that place the best moment in the whole awful time is when I know that Jesus “has been there – done that”.

As I read this passage I could see the woman running down the road, begging for help. She probably felt ostracized and at the end of whatever rope she had been hanging. She had no other options and so she turns to One that she has been told has done miracles for others. She begs for help, not for herself, but for her child. How could Jesus refuse?

Jesus ignores the woman! When she continues to beg and pester Him, He finally makes a remark that says – “You aren’t worthy of My help! I will help only the worthy, chosen ones!”

The woman does not give up! She is not intimidated! She will take crumbs from Jesus! She doesn’t have to have a whole, pretty loaf! She is desperate and will take crumbs!.

Fast forward to now. I am running down the road toward a church that I believe loves me. “Help me!” And no help is forthcoming. Maybe the leadership does not hear my plea. Maybe my pleas are too emotional and calling attention to a dirty sin. But I will take crumbs. Crumbs from Jesus is enough.

And that is the lesson that I learned from this passage. Do not allow people to dissuade me from what I know about Jesus. Trust Him to respond because He will. He is looking for that ‘crumb’ of faith. He takes a crumb and makes it a big whole! I may be an outcast by someone’s standard and I may be an embarrassment with my desperation and faith but this is where Jesus will respond: at the point of my desperate need. Keep running after Jesus in faith and I will get a response.

Please share what you learned from this passage!