Daily Devotional for Monday 27th May
Just a crumb
Today’s passage can cause us to be thankful that Jesus is a healer. We see Him heal this woman’s daughter who had been possessed by an impure spirit. And He can still heal today. He can still bring restoration and wholeness to us.
However, this passage can also make us feel uncomfortable. Jesus’ words to this lady can seem harsh - referring to her as a ‘dog’ and making a point of her culture being different. It’s helpful to have some context as we think about this. This woman wasn’t Jewish. She was a Gentile. Mark says she is ‘Syro-Phonencian’. Despite the fact she wasn’t Jewish, she had obviously heard about the things Jesus had being doing and teaching, and she had managed to find Him. The Jewish people considered the Gentiles to be unclean people. This story follows on from Jesus’ teaching about the things that defile (see Mark 7:1-23). He teaches that it’s what’s inside a person that makes them unclean - not what they put in/use (e.g. types of food, washing of cups etc.). And if it’s what’s inside, then it’s not people’s race or culture. This was a lesson to the disciples - later realised by Peter who says ‘God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean’ (Acts 10:28) and ‘God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.’ (Acts 10:35).
This woman would most likely have been aware that the Jewish people had been waiting for a Messiah to save them, and, because she calls Jesus ‘Lord’ in Matthew’s version of this story, she may have believed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. She accepts that Jesus came firstly for the Jewish people - or the ‘children’ in Jesus’ analogy. But she argues that everyone else needs Jesus too; even just a little (or the ‘crumbs’). What faith she had! This woman knew that just a ‘crumb’ was worth asking for; that Jesus could do so much with even just a little.
So, while we can be thankful the fact that Jesus is our healer, let’s also be thankful that He came for the Gentiles too. That His death and resurrection was also for us. And that now we can share in more than just the crumbs - we can share in the salvation we too receive from the bread of life.
Time to reflect…
• Have you experienced the healing power of Jesus, either in your own life or the life of those around you?
• Do you believe that just one crumb, just one touch, from Jesus can be life-changing?
• What does Jesus being the ‘bread of life’ mean to you?
Pause to pray…
Jesus, we thank you that you came, died, and rose again for us. Thank you that we too can share in your salvation and that we too have been restored to relationship with our Father. Thank you that you still heal today. Help us to be bold, persistent and expectant when we pray. Amen.
