Weekly Devotionals

February 20, 2012

 

Did Jesus Really Mean "No"?

A Word of Encouragement from Elizabeth Rice Handford

 

            As we read about Jesus in the Gospels, we're told that people begged Him to let them touch just the hem of His garment, and when they did, "Every one who touched Him was made perfectly whole" (Matt. 14:36).  But in the very next chapter, such an odd story is told about Jesus that you find yourself asking, "What's going on here?  Jesus healed everybody else, but said ‘no' to a poor woman whose little girl desperately needed healing?  Why, oh, why?"

            When a Canaanite woman begged Jesus to help her, the Bible says, Jesus didn't even answer her.  Jesus' disciples (who had not learned yet to like anybody but Jews, and certainly didn't like women or children) thought Jesus didn't intend to help her because she was from a heathen country. They callously urged Jesus to send her away.

            But Jesus said to her, in essence, "You are not a Jew.  Why should I help you?"

            Instead of being discouraged, she simply cried, "Lord, help me!"

            "Why should I give the children's food to the dogs?" Jesus said to her.  (This is the Savior who would die for all of us on the cross talking like this?  What is going on?)

            But this dear heathen woman understood more about the loving heart of Jesus than even his disciples did.  "That's true," she argued, "but the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the children's table."  There is so much grace at the Master's table, she seemed to understand, that there is grace enough for all of us, regardless of our heritage, our resources, our inadequacies!

            And, of course, that was the answer Jesus wanted His disciples to hear.  ""O woman, great is your faith! Of course I'll heal your precious daughter.  Go home.  She's healed."

            So, the Scriptures tell us, she went home, and found her daughter perfectly well.  And that's the loving Jesus who wants to meet our needs, whatever they are.