“Let the children be fed first, because it isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
Jesus, Mark 7:27

It’s one of the most bizarre interactions in the Gospel. Jesus is hiding from the crowds and finds himself in the out-of-the-way town of Tyre. His hiding didn’t last very long, as He is interrupted by a Syrophoenician woman.

Here’s what we know about her. She’s a Gentile. She’s a mom. She’s smart. She’s quick-witted. She’s got a heart full of faith. And she’s got a sick daughter, which changes everything.

How she knows about Jesus isn’t clear. It’s possible that the stories of the miracles of Jesus were traveling far and wide. It’s probable she knew the family of the house Jesus was hiding out in.

She’s desperate. Desperate for Jesus to heal her daughter. She has enough faith to seek out Jesus. To interrupt His life. To ask for healing. To not even demand that He go back home with her to do it.

And Jesus’ immediate response seems…rude. Calloused. Racist. ‘Dog’ is what the Jews typically called the Gentiles, and it wasn’t a friendly term. Jesus uses a slightly different word – puppy, but it’s her response that gives us a clue as to what is going on here.

Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.

Just give me a crumb, Jesus. Just give me a crumb! That’s all I need right here – a crumb.

What incredible faith! Jesus tells her as much when He tells her the demon has left her daughter. Here’s the kicker – she believes Him. She took His word for it. She had no proof, there was no messenger running up to tell her that her daughter was well. She had no visible confirmation. All she had was the ‘crumb’ of Jesus’ word.

And it was enough.

Here’s what I think. I think Jesus knew exactly the kind of woman she was. I think He saw her as a smart, desperate woman with the capacity for a tenacious faith. I think He saw that not only did she need this kind of verbal sparring/interaction with Him, but also that the disciples needed to see a different, robust faith in someone they thought could not, would not, and should not have it. I think this was the beginning of this small band of disciples seeing her, and people like her, as a person. Not as a Gentile. Or a woman. But a person. Of faith. With faith.

I’m in awe of this woman. We never even get her name, by the way. I’m in awe of her boldness. Her faith. Her tenacity. She was what the disciples ought to have been. They will get there. They will grow into that kind of faith – don’t want to miss that fact. The disciples aren’t where they need to be at this point in the story, but one day they will grow to be bold, tenacious, faithful leaders.

And days like this – where they got to see it in action, helped them to get there.