Pastor preached on Matthew 15:21-28 this morning. I am always a little affected by the harshness of Jesus response to the woman when she requests help, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’

I mean, sheesh!

I know the apostles probably felt that way; Jesus pretty much does what they want in expressing their sentiments about this outsider. He gives the woman a harsh response seemingly to make her go away.

But there’s a secret between Jesus and the woman; she has faith in Jesus in spite of everything. Like Job, against all the pain and loss she has suffered, she says in her heart, ‘I know that my redeemer lives!’ (Job 19:25)

Jesus had given the woman nothing to go on, nothing to go forward (he even called her a dog!), and yet she does go forward. Not only does she trust that she will receive a good answer to her petition, she spars with Jesus verbally. Like Jacob she says in effect, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me’. (Genesis 32:26)

In this way, Jesus gives faith a stage on which to act.

How could the woman draw up for herself this kind of trust, this kind of chutzpah? You see, it has to be gift alone!

She knows nothing but Jesus rebuff and from all evidence presented should expect nothing, and yet she presses on because she knows better.  She knows her Lord will give to her whatever she asks.

Like Jesus parables of the widow who presses the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8) or the friend who goes to his neighbor in the middle of the night (Luke 11:5-8), she is relentless and God ultimately answers.

This is a living parable for the apostles and for us about the nature of faith, prayer and answers to prayer. It is a picture of the gift of faith displayed against a harsh backdrop.

By Steve B