Mark 7.24–30: Even the dogs eat the crumbs (Day 35)

Pray

Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.

Read

Genesis 37 Mark 7 Job 3 Romans 7

Daily reflection: Mark 7

This is a strange story, because it seems to show Jesus treating harshly someone who comes to him in desperate need.

He has gone to the region of Tyre to get some peace and quiet, but he 'could not stay hidden' (verse 24); a Gentile woman whose daughter has a demon comes and begs for help. Jesus answers her in the voice of a rigidly orthodox Jew: the children of Israel come first, and the Gentile 'dogs' a long way second. But this woman, passionately committed to her daughter, refuses to take no for an answer, and Jesus honours her faith.

We should probably concentrate on the result of the encounter rather than getting too tangled up in their dialogue. Their exchange highlights the radical nature of Jesus' ministry. In Matthew's version of the story (15.24) he says he was sent 'only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel'. But while the focus of his ministry is his fellow-Jews, Gentiles too are loved by God and could be welcomed into his kingdom.

Here, as in other parts of the Gospels, Jesus is drawing the circle of God's love wider. No one is excluded on the grounds of race or gender or nationality.

It's easy to pay lip-service to this idea. But Jesus' use of the word 'dogs' to describe Gentiles is designed to acknowledge the prejudices that are so deep-rooted we don't even realise we have them. Understanding ourselves – sometimes painfully – is part of Christian discipleship.

Pray

God, show me where I've excluded people whom Jesus would have included. Break down the walls of my prejudices, and show me how to love people I don't like or trust or sympathise with.