Matthew 15:25-28 "But she came and knelt before him, saying 'Lord, help me.'"

"But she came and knelt before him, saying 'Lord, help me.' He answered, 'It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs.' She said, 'Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.' Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed instantly" (Matthew 15:25-28).

Question:

I am confident there is more meaning in Jesus' words than what is often taken as an insult to a woman with a sincere plea for healing for her daughter. What is the message we are to glean from this brief interaction?

Comment:

This is, indeed, a challenging interaction between Jesus and a Canaanite (non-Jewish) mother whose daughter is "tormented by a demon." It's especially difficult if we believe that Jesus was, from his birth onward, fully the Christ in expression. But if we realize that achieving full Christ expression was a process for him, as it is for all of us, then I think what we see is a part of that process unfolding. An essential part of our spiritual process always involves releasing limiting ideas in favor of a greater Truth. Jesus assumes that only those who share his Jewish background and faith are ready to hear the new message he is sharing. He is feeding “the children”—those who are ready to grow spiritually—not “the dogs”—those who are not. Her quick response indicates that, Jew or not, she is open and receptive to the healing energy he has been demonstrating. It's important to note that in his final statement—"Great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish"—he is not bestowing a healing. He is affirming that her faith in the possibility of healing for her daughter is bringing that energy into expression. And he is himself learning an important lesson concerning the expression of the Christ. It's not about superficial elements of religious or national identity; it's about the presence or absence of a willingness to believe.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed