Some people seem a little uncomfortable when they hear today's Gospel account of the encounter Jesus had with the Syrophoenician woman begging for healing of her daughter. Mark 7: 24-30 tells the story of this meeting, in which Jesus seems to disallow her right to help because she is not Jewish. Rather than backing down, she holds her ground and comes right back at His comment that "it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She realizes that all she needs is a little of this "food", and so begs for just a "scrap from the table".
Such faith is rewarded bu the Lord, and her daughter is healed.
I wonder how many of us would be satisfied to first hear ourselves compared to a dog and then to beg just for a scrap. Our pride often gets in the way of our own best interests. This woman was thinking only of her daughter, not herself. She didn't care how she would be perceived or spoken of, as long as her daughter would get well. And this is exactly what led to her daughter's healing.
She was not Jewish, not a believer, yet she came to Jesus and sought His help. Rather than be offended by His words, she embraced the image and found a bright side. And this not only impressed the Lord, it accomplished her goal.
The power of God is amazing. Even what might be considered the scraps can change lives. We often are the recipient of such "scraps", yet we never realize it. Sometimes in looking for the entire meal we neglect what we have been given. It takes a closer look to identify some of the small, ordinary, everyday ways that God blesses us. But even the smallest blessing from God is a powerful thing.
Today I hope to concentrate on looking for the scraps - the little blessings. I really owe God thanks for them as well, and if I don;t look for them I may miss them. The scraps from God's table are worth more than the finest meal at the fanciest table on earth, and I don't want to miss one!
No comments:
Post a Comment