Jesus’ Answer to a Struggling Mother
22. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23. Jesus did not answer a word. So His Disciples came to Him and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24. He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25. The woman came and knelt before Him, “Lord help me!” she said.
26. He replied, “It is not right to take the Children’s bread and toss it to dogs.”
27. “Yes it is Lord,” she said, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28. Then Jesus said, “O woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed that moment.
Matthew 15:22-28
If You’ve Never Struggled – You’ve Never Really Prayed
There are many that consider struggles as something uncommon to the Christian walk when it is really the struggles that help us define the Christian walk. In those moments of dire need and deep agony the Christian learns the power of perseverance, persistence, patience, and prayer. The perseverance teaches us that trouble won’t last always. Through persistence we learn to keep searching until the real answer is found. Through patience we learn to hold to God’s unchanging hand. In prayer we learn that while the struggle is real, God is real and gives real answers.
How did this woman know that Jesus would answer her? How did she know that her request would be granted? Having never attended a prayer meeting or Bible study, this mother from a foreign country found out that God answers prayer. This Gentile mother was able to transition from struggle to steadfastness. This mother kept asking until her steadfastness gave way to strength and finally her strength in the Lord caused her to be satisfied.
It all started with the struggle with her daughter being tormented by a demon. Please note that this mother did not label her daughter as the problem. When she sought her answer, she realized that her child was not the problem, but rather a problem was tormenting her child. Most people will attempt to move from problem to solution without fully understanding the need. This mother was out to find the answer and she understood that a demon was tormenting her child. The struggle was real.
Not only did she face a struggle with evil tormenting her child, this mother had to learn how to deal with the struggle of rejection. The first response of the Disciples was rejection. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly” … Jesus did not answer a word. So His Disciples came to Him and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” I believe this mother had weighed her options. If she knew who Jesus was, she could keep calling until she got an answer or she could give up and go back home and try to personally deal with the problem. When Jesus gave no reply, she became persistent. He didn’t say “no” so she “kept seeking the answer.”
Somehow, we as Christians have taken prayer as simply a requisition that we fill out and God grants what we need. Yes, we petition God, but prayer is not a formula. We must learn about God in prayer. In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus said, “Come to Me all who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest … take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I Am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls.” This now persistent mother was learning some things about Jesus. Notice, she had heard was that He was the Son of David and she believed that He had the power to heal her child.
The woman also considered that Jesus was in her country. Why would the Son of David come to her neighborhood and not give an opportunity to make a request? While the Syro-Phoenician woman did not understand Jewish customs, she did understand that Jesus had power to deliver her daughter. Here is where things got interesting.
When the Disciples suggested sending her away, Jesus did not send her away, but gave her this first answer. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman was now in a place to make her request. She now had heard from Jesus. Jesus still did not say “No.” So the woman made a simple but powerful request; “Lord, help me.” She did not try to justify her request nor to make some elaborate supporting statements; she just needed God’s help. She was steadfast and had replied to Jesus. She knew she did not deserve this blessing and did not seek to argue the point. She was steadfast and stated her need before the Savior. After all, Jesus had come all the way to Tyre and Sidon; His power had not changed. He was the Savior no matter where He went.
From Steadfast to Strength
The mother made her request and then awaited Jesus response. While Jesus’ response could have been taken as an insult it was still not a “No-Reply.” He replied, “It is not right to take the Children’s bread and toss it to dogs.” Here is where many would have ended their request and would have given up on their pursuit. As a matter of fact, in another place Jesus said some things that caused some Disciples to turn back and not follow Him. See John 6:65-66. Those disciples were offended at Jesus’ words, but not this mother. Her intent was to go home with the answer. Jesus had come all that way and she had now gotten His attention. She had made her request and was not about to leave without an answer to her request.
The woman had everything to gain. Her daughter was still demon possessed. The other Disciples still wanted her to leave. Jesus had said something that others might have taken the wrong way, but her being steadfast had gotten her this far. That’s where the woman heard something with the ears of faith. Jesus had said, “It is not right to take the Children’s bread and toss it to dogs.” She did not hear an insult, she had heard ‘Children’s bread’ and realized that children will have crumbs that fall from the table. Jesus had given her the strength that she needed to realize that she would get her request.
This mother was now in a position of strength. She had started with a struggle but kept asking. She had received encouragement because Jesus did not send her away as the Disciples had requested. That made her steadfast. Now, rather than being insulted by Jesus Word, she was actually strengthened by His Word. Jesus did not say, “No – you cannot have the children’s bread,” He said, “It is not right to take the Children’s bread and toss it to dogs.” That gave her the strength she needed. Now this struggling mother could say one more thing that would seal the deal.
Rather than responding with a smart answer, this mother gave a powerful faith answer that Jesus had inspired her to give. In the term “dog” the context was not to be taken as a wild dog, but rather a little puppy. The woman caught it and that meant that she could get her request if she responded properly. That she did by saying, “Yes it is Lord,” she said, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
She replied, agreeing that it was not right, but on the other hand, the children allow crumbs to fall from the table. The woman was saying, “Lord, I’ll be satisfied if you just give me a crumb.” The crumb of Jesus power is all that is needed to work a miracle.
From Strength to Satisfied
The mother who had struggled for some time with a daughter and a demon had struggled to find Jesus. Having found Jesus, she struggled with disciples who wanted her to be sent away. This same mother was steadfast because Jesus never said no. This same mother had listened as Jesus said He was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel. This mother was steadfast and had gained strength because Jesus never said “no.” Jesus said that it was not right to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs, but He still did not say “no.” Then this mother had found the answer she needed in Jesus Word. Her request was now in the hands of Jesus. He would give the final answer.
Jesus responded to the woman’s request. This time, the answer was a clear “yes” to her request for mercy. Then Jesus said, “O woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed that moment. The mother went home with the answer and found her daughter healed.
Could not Jesus have granted the woman’s request from the beginning. Yes, but the woman would never have learned the worth of prayer and faith. Jesus had rewarded her faith and not simply her request. This is a lesson for all struggling mothers and for anyone else who struggles in life. Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus said, “Come to Me all who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest … take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I Am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your souls.”