Mark 7:24-28: a reflection

24From there he arose and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice. 25For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. 27But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

When a Gentile woman comes to Jesus, begging him to free her daughter from an unclean spirit, Jesus answers with words that seem to put her off, speaking of the children's bread not being thrown to the dogs. But the woman is not put off; she takes no offense, and answers with a humble and quick-witted faith: Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs. She does not argue for her worthiness or take offense at the apparent rebuff; she humbly accepts the low place, and trusts that even a crumb of Christ's grace is enough for her need. Her humble faith presses on, sure that a little of his grace will suffice.

Notice the woman's humble, undeterred faith. She might have taken offense, or argued her deserving, or given up at the apparent rebuff; but she did none of these. She humbly accepted the low place, taking no offense, and with wit and faith pressed her plea: even the dogs eat the crumbs. She did not demand a place at the table; she trusted that even a crumb of Christ's grace would be enough for her daughter. Her faith was humble, taking no offense, and confident, sure that even a little of Christ's grace could meet her need. And Jesus honored that faith, granting her request.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can come to Christ with a humble faith that takes no offense and trusts even a little of his grace is enough. We can come to Christ demanding, or take offense when his answer is not what we expected, or give up when we feel rebuffed; but the woman humbly accepted the low place, took no offense, and trusted that even a crumb of Christ's grace would suffice. There is a humble faith that presses on without offense, sure that even a little of Christ's grace is enough. Come to Christ with a humble faith that takes no offense and trusts even a crumb of his grace is enough, as the woman did, rather than demanding or taking offense. Come to Christ with the woman's humble, undeterred faith, taking no offense and trusting that even a little of his grace is enough for your need, as she said even the dogs eat the children's crumbs; for Christ honors a humble faith that takes no offense and trusts his grace, and even a crumb of his grace is enough to meet our need.

Lord Jesus, when a Gentile woman comes to you, begging you to free her daughter from an unclean spirit, you answer with words that seem to put her off, speaking of the children's bread not being thrown to the dogs. But the woman is not put off; she takes no offense, and answers with a humble and quick-witted faith: yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs. She does not argue for her worthiness or take offense at the apparent rebuff; she humbly accepts the low place, and trusts that even a crumb of your grace is enough for her need. Show me the woman's humble, undeterred faith. She might have taken offense, or argued her deserving, or given up at the apparent rebuff; but she did none of these. She humbly accepted the low place, taking no offense, and with wit and faith pressed her plea. She did not demand a place at the table; she trusted that even a crumb of your grace would be enough for her daughter. And you honored that faith. Take that to my heart, for I too can come to you with a humble faith that takes no offense and trusts even a little of your grace is enough. I can come to you demanding, or take offense when your answer is not what I expected, or give up when I feel rebuffed; but the woman humbly accepted the low place and trusted that even a crumb of your grace would suffice. Help me come to you with the woman's humble, undeterred faith, Lord, taking no offense and trusting that even a little of your grace is enough for my need, as she said even the dogs eat the children's crumbs.