--ONE would think that the Creator would not be easily impressed. But something about this woman brought a sparkle to His eyes and most likely, a smile to His face. The woman is desperate. Her daughter is demon possessed.
The Canaanite woman has no right to ask anything of Jesus. She is not a Jew. She is not a disciple. She offers no money...But that doesn't slow her down. She persists in her plea.
"Have mercy on me!"
Matthew notes that Jesus says nothing at first. Nothing. He doesn't open His mouth. Why? I think that He was admiring her. I think that it did His heart good to see some spunky faith for a change. I think that it refreshed Him to see someone asking Him to do the very thing He came to do--give great gifts to unworthy children.
How strange that we don't allow Him to do it more often for us. Perhaps the most amazing response to God's gift is our reluctance to accept it. We want it. But on our terms. For some odd reason, we feel better if we earn it. So we create religious hoops and hop through them--making God a trainer, us His pets, and religion a Circus.
The Canaanite woman knew better. She had no resume. She claimed no heritage. She had no earned degrees. She knew only two things: Her daughter was weak and Jesus was strong.
We prefer to get salvation the old-fashioned way: We earn it. To accept grace is to admit failure, a step we are hesitant to take. We opt to impress God with how good we are rather than confession how great He is. We dizzy ourselves with doctrine. Burden ourselves with rules. Think that God will smile on our efforts. He doesn't.
God's smile is not for the healthy hiker who boasts that he made the journey alone. It is instead, for the crippled leper who begs God for a back on which to ride.~~ -- Life Lessons Study Bible/Max L. **Why do you think "helplessness" is a repulsive concept to our culture? **What are the worst things about feeling inadequate? **Why is it sometimes easier to reach out on behalf of someone else who is helpless than for ourselves when we are helpless? <http://youtu.be/mAtmP26p3jg>
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." [John 14:6]
