February 21, 2025 | Be God's Family
Faithful Dogs
Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28(NIV)
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Devotional
Today's story is one that I just did not understand for a long time. I would read it and think, "did Jesus just call this poor woman a dog?" That is so mean and way off-brand for the Jesus I know throughout the rest of the Gospels! This just does not sound like the Jesus who was so tender with the woman who touched the hem of his robe or the Jesus who met the woman at the well.
So, many times, I read this passage and passed it over startled and confused.
Thankfully, a godly advisor explained to me that while Jesus’ initial response, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” was indeed harsh, it was spoken for a really good reason.
Jesus was explaining the priorities of His ministry. At that time, His duty was to the people of Israel, not to the Gentiles who were often referred to as, you guessed it: dogs. If Jesus were to take His attention from Israel, in violation of His mission, it would be like a father taking food from his children in order to throw it to their pets.
I think that it is the woman's response that steals the show. She knew that Jesus wasn’t speaking to her gender or her race; he was speaking to her unworthiness as a Gentile. She responds with a steadfast trust in his grace: “Yes, Lord … yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” In other words, I have been listening to you and I know that the grace of God is so abundant that it flows off the table. Even those with no more worthiness than dogs can eat until they are full.
Many Jewish people at that time were following Jesus' "road show" for the miracles, for the pop culture novelty, or even hoping for a challenge to Roman authority. They didn't have "ears to hear" what Jesus was saying. But this woman did.
How can you lean into the generous grace of Christ today and make His priorities yours too?
Poem
The Performance
Psalm 117
The stage is set
The audience expectant
The curtain rises
A lone performer
Stands
His mouth opens
The audience gasps
The Con Amore rises
And fills each
Soul
His voice carries
The audience tranced
The hope rises
And healing
Spreads
His voice now silent
The audience erupts
The applauding rises
As grace
Settles
