21Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²²Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." ²³But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." ²⁴He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." ²⁵But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." ²⁶He answered, "It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs." ²⁷She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table." ²⁸Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly.

It happens fairly often. You are sitting with family or friends at a restaurant. You’ve placed your order and are ready to enjoy the meal. However, the person next to us orders something that sounds great. Do you change your mind or leave it alone?

If I am honest, I often wish that I had changed the order. The food brought out for the person next to me looks better than mine. I suspect that it tastes better as well. I promise myself that I will wait next time and order last.

Why this talk about changing our minds? Today’s text speaks of a change of mind. In this case, it doesn’t have to do with an order for a meal. It has to do with healing someone from being demon possessed. What would Jesus do?

The text begins by explaining Jesus whereabouts. Matthew writes, "²¹Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon."

Yes, Jesus and the disciples were traveling. They were moving from place to place as they often did. As they traveled, people sought them out. They were hoping for a miracle. Folks needed healing. Folks desired food. Folks wanted demons cast out.

It is no surprise that Jesus and the disciples were traveling. It was a surprise about who asked for healing. The text says, "²²Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’"

There are two things about this person who approached Jesus. First, she was a woman. In those days, women did not speak out in public. Furthermore, woman would not speak to a stranger. Jesus knew this, but His ministry involved women as well as men. He spoke to them. He taught them. Most importantly, He listened to them.

The second thing about the woman was that she wasn’t a Jew. She was a Canaanite. Canaanites were the folks who occupied the Promised Land when God gave it back to the Jews after the time in Egypt. God told Joshua to kill all those who occupied the land. Not only was the person a woman, but she was also non-Jewish woman.

Despite this double whammy, however, the woman wanted healing for her daughter. As a parent, I know how hard it is when your children are sick. I would rather be sick myself. As a parent, I have tried to always care for them.

This woman was doing the same thing. She was asking for help for her daughter.

Matthew records how Jesus and the disciples respond. The text says, "²³But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’"

Jesus tried something we often try. We think that if we ignore something that it will go away. Jesus simply ignored the woman. Healing her daughter was not on His agenda that day.

The disciples were even less responsive. They suggested that Jesus send her away because she was causing a scene.

Jesus went one step further. The text says, "²⁴He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’"

The words sound harsh. We have a hard time thinking of Jesus being so dismissive. Jesus, however, understood His mission. That mission was to the Jews. Later Peter and Paul would carry the message to the Gentiles. Jesus, however, came for the Jews. He calls them lost sheep.

The woman did not give up so easily. The text says, "²⁵But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’"

She wasn’t taking no for an answer. She moved in front of Jesus. She knelt at His feet and asked Him to help her.

Jesus, however, still remembered His mission. He responded saying, "It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs."

If you weren’t already shocked by Jesus’ response to the woman, this would shock you. Jesus is saying that the Gentiles were dogs. The children that Jesus mentions are the Jews.

The woman, however, did not give up easily. Matthew records her word. "²⁷She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’"

The woman accepted that Jesus thought she and other Gentiles were dogs. She accepted that her child did not matter as much as the children of Israel. She, however, was not giving up. She responded word to word to Jesus. She stated that even dogs received crumbs.

Jesus responded to her again. The text says, "²⁸Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’"

Jesus was amazed by the woman. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. She wouldn’t be offended and leave. She wouldn’t be put off by Jesus’ lack of compassion. The disciples would not send her away. She stood toe to toe with God’s only begotten Son. She won the battle because her love for her daughter was stronger than the rejection which she experienced.

What happened next? The text says, "And her daughter was healed instantly."

This woman received what she wanted. Jesus cast out the demon which had been plaguing her daughter. Jesus did what she wanted. Her persistence paid off.

In my home state of South Carolina, we wouldn’t say that the woman was persistent. We’d say she was stubborn.

So what lesson can we learn from this interesting and sometimes troubling story. Since Jesus changed His mind in this situation, we can be assured that Jesus can be convinced to change His mind. If Jesus changed His mind, then we must understand that God’s mind can be changed.

What does that mean? It means that our prayers have unbelievable power. It means that our prayers are something special if they can change the mind of God.

R. Shane Owens

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Gainesville, FL

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