The Master's Table

"But she said, "Yes Lord; but even the dogs

feed on the crumbs which fall from their master's table." 

Matthew 15:27

In Matthew 15:21-28 we read the story of a Canaanite woman who came to Jesus because her daughter was "cruelly demon-possessed." Jesus wouldn't even talk to her. Eventually, His disciples came and asked Him to send her away because she wouldn't leave. His answer was that He was sent "only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." It seems so cruel, but Jesus was staying true to the timing of His call. It would eventually be the disciples' job to preach the gospel to the world, but at this point Jesus was sent to the Jewish people only.

The woman was persistent and came to Jesus and bowed down before Him, crying out for Him to help her. He finally spoke to her, but He said "it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." Most people would surely walk away in shame, or argue in arrogance, but she didn't do either one. She didn't care that He called her a dog. She didn't get offended at all, instead she said, "Yes Lord, but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their master's table." Wow. With that He saw how great her faith was and spoke a word of deliverance for her daughter.

The remarkable thing about this woman's faith is that she let Jesus know that she wasn't there to steal the children's bread. She didn't even mention the children's bread. She said the dogs eat from their master's table. She didn't want to interfere with His call to reach the lost sheep of the house of Israel, she wouldn't take their bread, but she would take the leftovers, the crumbs, from His table.

The woman's attitude is just as remarkable as her faith. She didn't argue the equality of all mankind. She didn't get an attitude. She knew she didn't deserve anything from Him, and she didn't want to take away from what He was called to do. She simply knew that He had the authority to deliver her daughter and she begged for mercy, calling on His compassion, as humbly as she possibly could.

One little wave of the hand, one little brush of a finger, and a crumb falls from the Master's table. A crumb that is powerful enough to drive out a cruel demon from this woman's daughter. This woman's life and family was drastically changed due to this one crumb. Imagine what we can do now that we have been empowered with the Holy Spirit and commissioned by the Lord Himself to bring the Gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth!

Matthew 28:18-19, Mark 16:15-18