Matthew
15:21-28
“But she came
and knelt before him, saying,
‘Lord, help me.’”
Matthew
15:25
Our texts
recently have focused on personal healing and deliverance. Today, a Gentile woman seeks help for her
daughter. The disciples impatiently urge Jesus to send her away. Uncharacteristically, Jesus also seems
indifferent to her need, ignoring her initial plea for help. After the disciples
ask him to send her away, he speaks of his mission to the house of Israel. Ignored by Jesus and shunned by the
disciples, this mother isn’t deterred as she kneels before Jesus. This time he directly addresses her, likening
Gentiles to animals that clamor around the table for scraps, but she will not be
denied. Finally, Jesus acknowledges her
faith and consents to heal her daughter.
The mother returns home to find her daughter healed.
Does this story
make you uncomfortable? Where is the compassion? Perhaps it still remains, but Jesus chooses a
different path to prove a powerful point.
Immediately preceding this story, he tried to teach his disciples about
authenticity in the midst of religious snobbery. In treating this woman differently, has he
gone out of his way to reveal the awful truth about prejudice? By treating this woman differently, has he
shown us all how ugly preferential treatment can
be?
Prayer: Lord of
all, help us value others as you do. Amen.
Jim
Abernathy
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