[Journey with Jesus – Day 16]
We could tell the pressure was getting to Jesus. There was more grumbling, more opposition. The miracle he had performed of feeding thousands had got people’s attention – people saw an opportunity to take steps to get rid of the Romans and have Jesus as their leader. When it was clear that he wasn’t going to walk that path, and when he spoke instead about being the bread from heaven, his popularity turned sour. Many of his disciples stopped following him and we could tell this got to him. “Let’s get away,” he said to us, “I need some space.”
“Where are we going, Lord?” I asked.
“Let’s go to Tyre and Sidon.”
“But that’s a Gentile area – it’s full of pagans!” James objected.
“Exactly,” Jesus said.
Well, we had learned not to argue with him – something in his expression told us his mind was made up. And I understood – he was constantly surrounded by people who wanted something from him – it was hard enough when the crowds thought he could do no wrong, but now every encounter seemed to have an edge. Not everyone in that crowd was wishing him well. No wonder he needed to escape, to get away.
So we walked to the region of Tyre and Sidon for some peace and quiet, but it was not meant to be.
When we got to Tyre, on the coast, a Canaanite woman came out shouting, “Have pity on me, son of David! My daughter is demon-possessed! She’s in a bad way!”
I groaned. Could we get no peace at all? I looked at Jesus, and he said nothing. He just looked so weary. He carried on walking as if he hadn’t heard, but he had slowed down. Maybe he hoped she would stop shouting, but she carried on shouting after us. I felt quite embarrassed, as others had stopped what they were doing to watch us. I caught up to Jesus and asked him, “Please send her away!’ She’s shouting after us.”
Jesus turned and looked to the woman who was following close behind. “I was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Jesus had always been clear about his mission – he was here to bring the people of God back to true relationship with the Lord. This woman was an outsider. She worshipped foreign gods – Jesus hadn’t come for her. The woman was apparently not put out at all. She wouldn’t take no for an answer, so she came and threw herself down at his feet. “Master,” she said, “please help me!”
“It isn’t right,” replied Jesus, “to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” With this Jesus seemed to be putting the woman in her place. Gentiles like her were dismissed as dogs by Jews. Jesus knew this, the woman would have known this. But, as he spoke he seemed to be smiling. He was enjoying this conversation, leaving the door open for her.
“I know, Master,” she countered, “But even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.” She accepted the label she was given. She knew she had no right to demand anything from Jesus. What a contrast from the people in Galilee who had demanded so much from him.
At this, Jesus laughed out loud and clapped his hands approvingly. “You’ve got great faith, haven’t you, my friend! All right; you win! Let it be as you wish.” He raised her to her feet.
“Thank you so much!” she replied, and rushed off. Minutes later she came back with a young girl, who was radiant. She had been healed the very moment Jesus had said. The woman and her faith had broken through the barriers of race, and I began to wonder whether more Gentiles, more dogs, would eat the scraps that fell from the table. Stranger things had happened! Whatever the case, this encounter with the woman who wouldn’t give up had touched Jesus’s heart.
Halwill Publishing 