I’m coming to realize I’m a beggar like this one who’s now my hero
By Dean Collins
Of all the characters in the Bible, which one do you identify with and want to emulate? What about Moses or Joshua who boldly lead God’s chosen through the wilderness and into the Promised Land? Or Maybe David who took down Goliath with one swing and later became known as a legendary king? Maybe King Solomon would be your pick because of his wisdom. Or the apostle Paul who courageously navigated countless obstacles and through it all wrote most of the New Testament and advanced the gospel throughout the world. Elijah, Elisha, Peter, John—we could go on and on with notable heroes of the Bible.
But lately, I am thinking the better choice might be the Gentile woman who begged Jesus to have mercy on her.
Begging woman
Matthew 15 contains her story. I have read it many times and usually find myself somewhat annoyed. It is a hard story that makes Jesus look bad or at least aloof. It is not a go-to story preachers use very often, because it is odd and appears out of character with the many examples of compassion found in other passages about Jesus.
The encounter the Canaanite woman has with Jesus and his disciples leaves us wondering if Jesus and his closest followers were either having a bad day or weren’t as loving as they told everyone else to be. The story opens as Jesus arrives in the region of Tyre and Sidon. There he is met by a Gentile woman pleading for mercy. Jesus did not answer. We don’t really know whether this was a pregnant pause or if Jesus was truly ignoring this woman. Matthew tells us Jesus gave her no reply.
I have always heard that if you do not have something nice to say then you shouldn’t say anything at all. Apparently, neither Mary nor Joseph gave Jesus this etiquette tip, because when Jesus finally did reply, he said something that doesn’t sound very nice at all!
Lost sheep
After this, the woman continued her begging and the disciples appealed to Jesus, “Tell her to go away, she is bothering us with all her begging.” These are the future leaders of the church who are basically telling Jesus to get rid of this woman because they are annoyed by her persistent begging for mercy. Jesus finally stepped in and said something that doesn’t sound very Christlike at first glance and maybe not at a second glance either. You decide.
Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
What? Didn’t we think Jesus came for everyone? At the end of Matthew, he tells us to go to everyone with the good news, but here Jesus seems to discriminate. But this woman did not relent. She persisted and even worshipped him and pled again, “Lord, help me!”
If you weren’t bothered by the last comment from Jesus then you better sit down before you read what he said next: “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
Yes, Jesus said that. There isn’t any way to make it sound more politically correct. Maybe Jesus wasn’t much on political correctness, but didn’t he come with love for everyone? Where is the love in this response?
The woman took the rude-sounding comment and came right back at Jesus: “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their master’s table.” And this woman got away with her rebuttal of Jesus. In fact, for the first time in the story, we find relief. Jesus moved from not responding and being what we might suggest was insensitive to now commending this woman for her faith.
“Your faith is great, he said. “Your request is granted.”
And what was her request? That Jesus have mercy on her because her daughter was possessed by a demon that tormented her relentlessly. She didn’t ask for healing; she asked for mercy, and she got both. Matthew lets us know that instantly her daughter was healed.
Bothered about begging
Just a week ago in a moment of discouragement, I told the Lord I was tired of being a beggar. Begging was not what I signed up for when I took the job as a Christian university president. But over the years it seems like asking others and asking God to provide for our mission is an everyday and all-day job. Some days I don’t even like to hear myself asking for help. In those moments, it is easy to see others flinch when they see me coming.
I shared my frustration with a couple of friends. As I said I didn’t want to be a beggar I quickly explained by using another story Jesus told. This one involves another woman who relentlessly went to an insensitive judge and begged for justice. Like Jesus in the first story, the judge ignored this woman’s pleas, yet she continued her begging until the judge finally relented and gave her justice. In this case, Jesus said he told the story so we would always pray and never give up. And certainly, we would not describe Jesus in the same manner that he described the judge, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.”
I told my friend I didn’t mind begging Jesus for mercy and for help for myself or for the university, but I didn’t really want to be perceived as a beggar by others. I have thought about this for about 10 days now. Today I think I am content.
As I process these two stories from the life of Jesus, I have decided maybe I am more comfortable with begging.
Good place
Begging God for mercy and for his help is a good place. It is a place of humility. It is a confession that what we are called to do as kingdom people is beyond what we can do on our own. It requires God’s daily and intimate involvement. And it requires persistence. Persistence is a visible expression of our faith that God is good, he is mercy, he is just, and he will provide.
So today I think if I had to pick a character in the Bible to be more like it would not be some obvious hero of faith. I am willing and hope to be more like the Canaanite woman who realized only Jesus could give what she needed.
Your time with God’s Word
Matthew 15:21-28; Luke 18:1-8 NLT
Photo by Tom Watkins on Unsplash
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