Matthew 15:22-28 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to HIM, crying out, “LORD, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.” JESUS did not answer a word. So HIS disciples came to HIM and urged HIM, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before HIM, “Lord, help me!” she said. He 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 masters’ table.” Then JESUS answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. [New International Translation]
Summary
During Biblical times the Jewish people considered themselves separate from gentiles* of their times. One group of gentile “outsiders” living around the Jewish people during the time of Christ were the Canaanites. To many Jewish people, the Canaanites were no better than “dogs.” So, one day when a Canaanite woman came to JESUS crying for mercy on behalf of sick child, even some of JESUS’ own Jewish disciples were annoyed and urged JESUS to send her away. From their prospective, she was just a gentile, unclean and a woman. But, the woman was desperate. She was a mother, and her daughter needed help. Moreover, the woman knew JESUS could help her daughter. She believed in JESUS. She acknowledged HIS authority---she called HIM “LORD.” So, she literally begged JESUS for help.
Initially, JESUS said nothing. When the woman persisted, JESUS pointed out that HIS [immediate] mission was to save the “lost sheep of Israel,” meaning the Jews. But the woman would not be dissuaded; she came and knelt before HIM, in humble submission. She worshipped HIM.
Testing her “faith,” JESUS spoke to the woman and said: “Is it not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
Still, the woman did not give up. She replied: “Yes LORD,” basically acknowledging the common attitude of the Jews. And, in essence, admitting saying “YES, I know that Jews consider us Canaanites to be “dogs.” But with fierce determination, the woman quickly retorts: “But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” In other words, “even the dogs” deserved to be blessed by the MASTER too!
Seeing how great the woman’s faith was, even with the testing of her faith, JESUS grants the woman’s request. JESUS heals her daughter immediately! All because of the faith of a determined woman!
*A gentile is anyone who is not of the Jewish race or religion.
DOGS TODAY
On July, 11, 2016, the East Bay Times ran an article entitled “A Hotel With Waggin’ Rights.” The article was about luxury boarding facilities for dogs that included a flat-screen TV, so doggy guests can tune into shows with their human and doggie bedtime stories. The article mentioned that some pet owner requests at the hotel have been a “bit over the top,” such as one owner requesting that a Boston terrier, who arrived with his own bottled Fiji water, be put to bed at night in a onesie pajama, after having his feet wiped and cream applied to his nose.” Another client wanted her dog to watch “Keeping up with the Kardashians.”
Despite these more extreme requests, life for the pets at this pet hotel is pretty “high end.” Some of the deluxe services offered included items like a 15-minute splash time, a dog-friendly ice cream sundae with cookie crumbs and a frozen strawberry-blueberry facial in the grooming salon. The rates at this 140-room hotel range from $50 to $150/per night.
Many pet hotels and pet “day care centers” try to do things that stimulate the pets and which increase their physical activity. There are games, such as playing with bacon bubbles, where a staff member blows bubbles out of a machine and the dogs gleefully chase them. The East Bay Times article mentioned a five-week dog summer camp featuring activities like “Wag Olympics” and “river rafting.” Some pets get more exercise than their human owners.
DOG and OTHER ANIMAL TYPE EXERCISES
There is no doubt that we can learn a lot about exercising from watching animals. These are just a few:
In Yoga, there is the Downward Facing Dog. In this posture, the person comes to all fours, then the heels point back, the thighs are draw back (without locking your knees) and up into the naval and the arms reach forward and you breathe deeply:
There is also the Upward Facing Dog:
Here, the person drops their hips forward toward the floor, press their palms down into the floor, drop the shoulders down and back, press the chest forward, reach the crown of their head upward toward the ceiling and breathe deeply.
The Cat/Cow exercises, imitating the look of a cat and cow, are exercises that are used to increase height:
These exercises increase flexibility in the entire spine and stretch and lengthen the back, torso and neck. Again, hold the pose for several minutes and breathe deeply.
HOW DO WE TREAT OTHERS---BETTER THAN DOGS?
We can learn a lot from Matthew 15:22-28. Perhaps the lesson in Matthew was for the disciples (including us) about how JESUS expects us to treat others. JESUS reminds us in Matthew 25:31-46, that at the judgment, we will be asked did we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, cloth the naked or come to the aid of those in need. Maybe the questions that we will be asked will be “Did we treat those on the streets, those in need, our sick or shut-in, our elderly, those seeking sanctuary within our borders better than dogs?” JESUS also let us know in verse 45 that, “When we refuse to help the least of these brothers and sisters, we are, in essence, refusing to help GOD.”
Today, let us all pray---for our nation, for our cities, and for each other.
Let’s pray, as our elders put it, that we “treat everybody right.”**
Pray for justice. Pray that we treat everybody (and ourselves) better than dogs.
Have Faith, Pray, keep moving, and BE BLESSED.
**Hear Blind Willie Johnson singing: “Everybody Ought to Treat a Stranger Right.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI3htUL82kw; hear “I’m gonna treat everybody right, until I die” from “I Will Trust In the LORD.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ampc61h3X-0.
