Even the Dogs Feed on the Crumbs
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May 27, 2012 |
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 "But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, 'Lord, help me!' And He answered and said, 'It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.' But she said, 'Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus said to her, 'O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed at once." (Matthew 15:25-28)
Let's suppose your beloved child is about to be expelled from school because he caused a major problem. You might go to school and ask teachers to forgive him even on bended knees. But what if his teacher insults you, saying "Your son is worse than an animal! Just get him out of here!"? What would you do then?
Some of you might just suffer the humiliation and continue to seek favorable arbitration and arrangement. On the other hand, it might hurt your pride and think, "How could she insult me like this?"
When a Canaanite woman came before Jesus to have her demon-possessed daughter healed, she was treated like a dog. However, the woman didn't let it hurt her feelings or consider it humiliating. She rather humbled herself and implored Him to set her daughter free from the demon.
1. The Syrophoenician woman was treated like a dog but her confession moved Jesus' heart
It happened when Jesus went into the district of Tyre and Sidon. A woman cried out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed." She pleaded to drive away the demon from her daughter. Considering the times, it was hard for a Syrophoenician who was one of the Canaanite descendants to approach Jesus, who was a Jew. This is because Jews despised the Gentiles and didn't want to be associated with them. Moreover, it was even more unimaginable for a woman to ask something before Jesus who was a man. But she came before Him because she desperately wanted her daughter to be healed. Despite her earnest plea and shout, however, Jesus didn't say anything and seemed to do nothing for her.
Her plea was earnest such that His disciples came and implored Him to send her away, because she kept shouting at them. Then, He said something totally unexpected to her. He said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." It meant He would save not a Gentile, but only Israelites.
Then, the woman came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!" But Jesus likened the woman to a dog, saying, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." Jesus said this to her to test her faith. In this situation, people's feelings might be hurt because they feel treated like a dog and they will just return to their place.
But the woman completely humbled herself and said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." Her words weren't spoken just to get her daughter healed. She didn't have any anger. Because she put complete trust in Jesus, she didn't have any discomfort and her pride didn't suffer, either. In addition, her heart was of goodness and humbleness, so she could say such a positive word.
Hearing her confession, Jesus was deeply moved, saying, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." Her daughter was healed at the moment. By humbling herself, she passed the test of faith well and received answers to her heart's desire.
Some might be able to offer humble words from motives of craftiness although they don't have a humble heart. But if what is spoken does not come from a sincere heart, the truth will be revealed in the end.
The Syrophoenician woman could give the spiritual answer Jesus wanted until the end because she had a good inner heart and a humble heart. If our hearts are like hers, we will have no hard-feelings toward others and our feelings would not be hurt no matter what words were directed toward us. Furthermore, we can give words that move their hearts. When others say something that can hurt your ego, if you respond with words of goodness and move their hearts, they will feel empathy toward you and realize what their problem was.
2. The forefathers of faith spoke in moving confessions out of goodness
John the Baptist, who made ready the way of the Lord, said, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals" (Mark 1:7). He humbled himself and said it was an honor to talk about Jesus, the Son of God. He said that he was not fit enough to stoop down and untie His sandals.
Also, when John heard that all who had previously followed him came to Jesus, he said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). He knew when to step back. He didn't assert himself but just wanted to exalt Jesus. That's why he could be praised by Jesus. Jesus said about John, "Among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11:11).
The apostle Paul also said, "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him…" He threw away all he had and said knowing Christ Jesus surpasses everything (Philippians 3:8-9).
When he didn't know the Lord, he took the lead in the persecution of believers and killed them. But after he met the Lord, he considered himself as "the last of all, as to one untimely born" in 1 Corinthians 15:8. Also as written in 1 Timothy 1:15, he also humbled himself saying that he was the worst of sinners.
In addition, he had such great love for the Lord and souls that he said in Romans 9:3, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Since he had such an inner heart, he was able to manifest the greatest power in those times of the New Testament and lead many Gentiles to the way of salvation.
3. A good heart that accepts advice and having mistakes pointed out with a lowly heart and blessings that follow those who have this heart
There are three types of people when others point out their faults. Check yourself as to where you fall.
Those of the first type don't accept the reprimand of others for their faults with a grateful heart, but instead it causes discomfort that enters their hearts. They may even lose fullness. Others of the second type make excuses for their faults. But people who make excuses can't experience development in their spiritual growth. They just stand still. There are people of the last type who accept their admonishments and advice with a thankful heart and try hard to correct their wrongdoings. They can change themselves into men of the truth quickly and become spiritual workers.
In this way, the consequence is quite different depending on how you react to others' reprimands. Therefore, those who believe that they can change through others' advice should long to receive advice from others.
On the contrary however, if you don't have love towards others you can't point out their faults. Everybody wants to say things that sound good and hates to say things that sound bad. Thus, when you are reprimanded, you must not have any hard-feelings but think "He loves me and wants me to change." Then, you can come into spirit quickly.
Dear brothers and sisters, the Syrophoenician woman received blessing by speaking with words from a humble heart that moved Jesus' heart. Furthermore, humble men can be used as a precious vessel by receiving God's love and strength from Him like the apostle Paul and John the Baptist. This is because they had good hearts in God's sight and moved others' heart even with words. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will receive God's great love and blessing by giving confession of goodness.
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