Approaching the King
Good Morning Friends,
In today’s scripture we get a surprising understanding of God. It is not one of a God who needs to be appeased by good behavior and sacrifice nor a spiritual force that is accessible for our benefit. It is something entirely different. It is about the role of the King in extending grace to the poor. It is a story that is not about cowards or regular people nor heroes. It is about the deep love a parent for their child….persistent and bold in Approaching the King.
Scripture: From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Mark 7:24-30 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s story from Mark is also in Matthew with a little longer version that explains that Jesus came to the Jews first…then the Gentiles. The scripture should disturb us until we like the mother realize that any percentage portion of infinity is more than enough to fill our cups to overflowing and our bellies and souls with sufficient nourishment. Here Jesus is essentially calling a distraught Gentile mother a dog in the pecking order at God’s table. Some translations say puppy but regardless it was a test, not only of the woman but primarily of the disciples. It is only on the surface an insult. It is a parable and an intellectual challenge and the amazing thing is that the mother does not take offense but stands on her rights even as a dog to beg for what is needed in a most respectful way. She is saying ok give me what I need not because of my goodness but because of yours. Jesus is engaging her in a teaching moment to argue a point and she out of love for her daughter says ok I will enter your contest but I will not take no for an answer. She basically says that she will happily be even as a dog at the table where the banquet has more than enough food for all. Note that the actions of the Gentile woman in today’s story exhibit faith. First she obviously has an intellectual acceptance of the fact the Jesus can meet her demands. She has accepted another’s word as authority or has come to believe based on experience or has used powers of reason to determine that Jesus can meet her request. Regardless, somehow this woman knows that Jesus can heal. But knowing this fact about God, essential though it is, is not enough. Even demons have a knowing faith. She must show it through action and persistence. So she follows and pleads with Jesus. And when called a “dog”, which is exactly what the disciples were thinking Jesus should say, the woman responds by saying, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Here she not only demonstrates a showing faith but an affirming and saving faith. Here then Jesus, in response, not only heals the daughter but also with love, heals the disciples of their prejudice and arrogance. In the end Jesus says something along the lines of, “Woman, you have great faith! You gave a great answer to the challenge.”
Pray that we have a knowing faith. Pray that we have a showing faith. Pray that we have a saving faith that is bold and persistent. Pray that scripture and the Spirit take us into the deeper faith of total surrender to God having faith that a crumb of His power is all it will take.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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