Pastor Michael Cofer
Matthew 15:21-28
Can you believe the way Jesus talked to that poor woman in our Gospel reading? I mean, in my time, I’ve said some insensitive things… but Jesus called that lady a dog. A DOG. And not even in the, “you are loyal and affectionate” kind of way. Not in the “I want to post pictures of you doing tricks on my face book” kind of way. He acted like that woman didn’t deserve a bit of his time.
Once again, the Jesus I read about doesn’t act like the Jesus I think I know.
So you have to think that something weird is going on here; there is more to the conversation than first meets the eye. To get the full effect, let’s back up to the beginning of the chapter. Jesus and the Pharisees are having another showdown, this time about ritual purity. The Long and short of the conversation is that the disciples didn’t wash their hands before they ate, and the Pharisees were trying to have a “gotcha” moment with Jesus.
Well, Jesus took the opportunity to not just defend himself, but to actually teach about the nature of purity. He said, “It’s not what goes in a man’s mouth that makes him unclean. It’s what comes out of his mouth that makes him unclean.” Of course nobody, not even the disciples, are sure what to make of that, but it ends the argument.
So the disciples questioned Jesus about this, and here’s what Jesus said: “What goes in your mouth – the stuff you eat – runs through your intestines and eventually comes out the other end. But what comes out of your mouth – the words you say – show what’s really on your heart. And if the stuff that comes out of your mouth is unclean, then it shows that your heart is unclean too.”
After that poignant thought, we are immediately spirited away to Tyre where Jesus meets a Canaanite woman – a gentile. There was probably no appropriate setting for these two folks to have any semblance of a conversation, but here she is throwing herself at his feet, begging for Jesus’ help.
Truthfully, we’ve seen this scene numerous times. Jesus travels around and needy people find him and ask him for his help, and he does it. Only this time… he doesn’t. He doesn’t do anything at all. She’s begging him, and he doesn’t say anything at all. It’s weird. Very un-Jesus-like if you ask me.
After having read this through a few times, I think I know what Jesus is doing… I think he’s waiting for the disciples to make a move. He just got done talking about how the outside isn’t important, it’s what’s in your heart that counts, and now here’s this woman. On the outside she is supposedly a heathen, but she is doing what the most devout Jews could not… she is bowing down at Jesus’ feet. And out of her mouth come words that show where her heart is at.
Okay… so we’ve got the scene set, and it’s the moment of truth. The woman is bowing down at Jesus’ feet, asking for help, and what do the disciples say? Do they say, “Master, help this woman, she’s in such great need?” Nope. They say, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
“Send her away.” How callous and ignorant can you be? No really… I had to ask myself that question, because I know there have been people in my life who need love and compassion and encouragement and healing… but I don’t give it. I sigh, and maybe moan about how high-maintenance they are or some other lame excuse. I wish it weren’t so, but I’ve definitely had those moments when I say, “Jesus, I don’t want to deal with this right now.”
So… I have a lesson to learn here as well. But the story gets weirder, because Jesus doesn’t just rebuke the disciples and help the woman; He kind of messes with her for a little bit. Not once, but twice he refuses to help her, going so far as to call her a dog. And still, she wouldn’t give up.
You know what though? I think Jesus is cheating a little bit… because he could see right into her heart from before she ever opened her mouth, and I think all this back and forth isn’t for her benefit. I think Jesus is trying to teach the disciples a thing or two about prayer. I think Jesus is actually quite proud of this woman, and he wants to show her faith as an example.
See, what this woman had going for her was humility and persistence – both of which are the building blocks of a healthy prayer life. Persistence is something that is easy to take for granted. You might be tempted to think, “God hear me once, what’s the point in asking again?” But persistent prayer isn’t about badgering or nagging God. It’s about developing a lifestyle of leaning on God and looking to Him in all situations. Persistence in prayer is how a relationship with God develops and grows.
Humility, starts with a basic recognition of who God is and who we are. He isn’t a waiter that we can demand things of. He’s not Santa Claus, rewarding us for our good behavior. He’s not an employer paying out well-earned wages. We come before God as beggars, plain and simple. He owes us nothing, but gives us all good things in the proper time. It’s this attitude of humility that says, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
And where there is humility there also will be gratitude. What other response can follow receiving what you don’t deserve? The proud hearts of the Pharisees and even the disciples were puffed up and hardened by a sense of worthiness and entitlement. But when we can admit to the generosity of God, to the undeserved mercy His grace gives to us, it’s impossible not to be moved to thanks.
Not only thanks, but you also want to tell the story. Time and again, when Jesus heals someone, they just can’t keep the story to themselves. That’s a good thing, because it’s the kind of story that the world wants and needs to hear. “God loves me, as messed up and unlovable as I am. He cares for me daily, even in miraculous ways. And God loves you, too.” It’s as simple as that. No gimmicks or scripts. Just an honest response of gratitude for God’s undeserved grace.
