On Sunday, Jay Mijares shared a lesson with us about “Puppies”. (Puppies? In the Bible?) Read on.
This lesson is from Matthew 15:21-28. A Canaanite woman came to Jesus greatly distressed because her daughter was possessed by demons. At the time, any non-Jews were looked down upon but Canaanites were even worse, pagan idol-worshippers. At first, Jesus doesn’t speak to her at all (sometimes Heaven is silent to our prayers). Finally, he says to her (Matt. 15:26), “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” In other words, let the children of Israel be fed first.
Let’s pause to consider a translation. The Greek word for dog, kynarion, really means puppy. A broader interpretation would be a household pet -- not a dangerous wild dog running loose in the streets.
Then the Canaanite woman, who was already on her knees, begging, replied to Jesus (Matt. 15:27), “...Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” That statement touched Jesus and in verse 28 he said to her, “...you have great faith!” and her daughter was healed at that moment.
She basically said, you’re right -- non-Jews (puppies) can’t eat at the table, but they still deserve any crumbs that may fall to the floor. She kneeled, humbled herself to Jesus, begging to take only those crumbs. Affliction made her faith grow. Humility leads to faith and Jesus recognized her humble faith.
Jay gave us 3 questions to consider about this lesson:
Have you honestly loved someone as much as the Canaanite woman did?
When you cry out, do you cry out to the one true God, or to a god of your own making?
When God answers, will you be satisfied with the crumbs that fall from the table?
Have faith that those crumbs will lead you to Jesus and to salvation!
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