All I Possess

I have no memory of hearing this scripture in my “former life.” It really shocked me when I found it. Here’s Matthew 15:

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

²³ 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.”

²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

This woman was incredible!

I don’t know about you, but I’m usually the puppy with my tail between my legs. I lack the confidence to ask twice when someone has told me no. I’m just not that pushy, gutsy, or persistent.

So who is this woman? Just a Gentile wanting healing?

But are the Jews anymore worthy or deserving?

No, she represents all of us.

We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.

I think it’s gutsy for ANY human to ask for eternal life! We’re the ones who ruined that for ourselves!

I can hear Willy Wonka’s voice: “You stole fizzy lifting drinks!” and continuing to list all the crimes I’ve committed, all the grievances against me.

So why does Jesus offer healing or salvation to ANY of us?

But He does.

…and we have the invitation to let go of our shame, and claim the thing we don’t even deserve in the least.

Jesus cast his own pearls before swine! —Eternal life for rebellious mankind. Can you believe He did that?

Perfect love is this: that a man lays down his life for his friends

(I first learned that scripture from watching Disney’s Jungle Book😂)

Except it’s wrong.

We weren’t Jesus’s friends. That makes it sound like we are his peers, his equals. It should say:

Perfect love is this: that a perfect, glorious being lays down His mortal life for filthy disgusting swine, begging for scraps underneath the table.

Something to consider.

Just my thoughts in the middle of the night 😁

Here’s an episode with R and I discussing a “download” I had while out on a cold winter walk yesterday. The true “Plan of Salvation” is the one where mankind brought this whole fiasco upon himself, and is saved despite ourselves, doing absolutely nothing to deserve it. That’s the miracle of redemption!

And here’s an episode discussing this story in Matthew 15 alongside Moses on Mt Sinai following the golden calf incident.