“Ultimately, the choice everyone faces is the choice between despair and hope. Jesus says, ‘Choose hope.’. . . God prizes that quality in the human spirit that will not give up.”- John Ortberg
[Jesus] replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”- Matthew 15:26-27 (NIV)
John Ortberg concludes Chapter 10 of Everybody’s Normal . . . with the observation that Jesus uses very harsh language about dogs. Because such strong language forces the disciples to face themselves. Yet, at the same time, Jesus softens it for the woman. As a result, Jesus uses the word that means a little dog — doggy.
However, this represents the hardest part of this test for the woman. Will the Canaanite woman:
- run away? Decide it’s not worth the effort; give up on this strange tug-of-war.
- insult Jesus back? After all, the Jewish people have been enemies to her people for a long time.
- keep going? Because of her intense love for her daughter, her trust in Jesus’ power to heal, and her faith in Jesus’ compassion.
In addition, John notes, the woman picks up on the diminutive form of the word for dogs. Hence, she uses the same form for the word crumbs.
Finally, John underscores, at the end of Matthew’s account the Canaanite woman flips the script. In every respect, she’s the disciples’ master. She relates to Jesus on a level of understanding, humility, and trust that puts them to shame.
Therefore, John adds:
“This is the irony of the spirit of exclusion. It causes us to think that merely to associate with those we consider outsiders is doing them a favor. . . . When we exclude, we don’t just hurt those we keep outside; we damage our own souls far more. And when we embrace, we are the ones who receive the greatest gift. . . . Ultimately, the only one the Excluders can keep away from God’s company are themselves.”
Today’s question: What Bible verses help you make the best choice between despair and hope? Please share.
NOTE: I covered Chapter 11 in the November Short Meditation (“His light goes before us”).
Tomorrow’s blog: “Our earthly kingdoms”