Jesus taught his disciples a lesson they’d never forget
A jaw-dropping lesson
A perspective-widening lesson
A faith-building lesson
This lesson is for modern-day disciples, too
Jesus said something amazing
Not to Peter, not to James, not to John
But to a pagan, a non-Jew
Not just any pagan, but a Canaanite pagan
A descendant of the ancient enemies of the Jews
He said to her, “Great is your faith”
What was so great about it?
It wasn’t ordinary faith
It was expectant faith
Persistent faith
Cheerful faith
Dogged faith
Relentless faith
To sum up
Cheerful, Relentless, Expectant faith
This excellent woman exercised her faith
She exhorted Jesus to exorcise her child
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But Jesus kept mum
Not a word from the Word made Flesh
Jesus’ disciples whined like puppies
“Send her away, for she keeps shrieking out after us.”
Jesus broke his silence
“It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the pet dogs”
Isn’t He being cruel? Insulting? UnChristian?
Consider the WAY he says it
With a gruff voice and a stern look?
Or, with an inviting voice, and twinkle in his eye?
Like someone playing hard to get?
Like the Bridegroom in the Song of Songs?
His words did not throw her off his trail
With cheerful, relentless, expectant faith she hounded him
“Please, Lord, for even the pet dogs eat the scraps that fall from their Master’s table.”
His joy bubbled up, His eyes lit up
Like a proud Father, he cried,
“O woman, great is your faith!”
“Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And He exorcised her child
Because she’d exercised her faith
Cheerful, relentless, expectant faith

[What are you praying for? What have you stopped praying for? Maybe for your relative who’s in an abusive relationship, or who suffers from cancer or depression, or who won’t talk to you anymore. Maybe for your spouse who has major health issues and you take care of your spouse although you weren’t trained to be a home care worker. Maybe for strength as you take care of a child with special needs. Maybe for a job. Maybe for help to quit- smoking, or drinking too much or gambling too much or looking at harmful images online. Maybe you feel like living proof of Murphy’s Law, that everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong. Whatever it is, whatever you’re praying for or have stopped praying for, Jesus gives you this story of the Canaanite woman today, to encourage you, to excite you, to inspire you to pray like she prayed, with great faith! Pray with me: Jesus, Master, grant me great faith. Give me faith like you gave the Canaanite woman. Cheerful, relentless, expectant faith. So that one day soon I’ll hear you say to me what you said to her: “Let it be done for you as you wish!”]