Scripture Daily

Context No. 4179 of 4322 · Matthew

Context · Reflection

Matthew 15:21-25: in context

21Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!” 23But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.” 24But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

A Canaanite woman, an outsider, comes to Jesus crying out for mercy for her demon-tormented daughter. And Jesus, at first, does not answer her a word. His disciples want her sent away. He tells her he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. By every sign, she is being refused. But she will not give up. She comes and kneels before him, saying simply, Lord, help me.

What stands out is her persistence and humility in the face of discouragement. Silence, the disciples' annoyance, an apparent refusal, none of it stops her. She keeps coming, keeps crying out, humbly kneeling and pleading, Lord, help me. And, as the story goes on, Jesus commends her faith as great and grants her request. Sometimes it seems, as it did to this woman, that God is silent, that our prayers meet no answer, that we are being turned away. The temptation is to give up. But this woman shows a faith that keeps coming, that humbly persists, that will not be discouraged by apparent silence or refusal.

When my prayers seem to meet silence or refusal, do I persist like the Canaanite woman, humbly and stubbornly coming to Jesus, saying, Lord, help me, refusing to give up, or do I quickly grow discouraged and stop asking?

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