Have you ever been ignored? I hate that—talking to someone and they don’t respond. I bet the woman, the strange woman was furious. If she was, that didn’t stop her.
Truth is, Jesus didn’t ignore her. Maybe it was a test to see how far she would go. Would she walk away? Would she give up?
You may recall from yesterday's post that she was not a Jewish woman. She was a desperate one. She followed Jesus and was determined to be heard. Determined to get a healing for her daughter.
Matthew 15:23-24 records this, But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
The disciples responded quickly, ready to send her away, but Jesus engaged her in conversation giving justification to the reason for which He was sent.
Maybe that was another test to see how far she would go. Would she walk away? Would she give up? Would she accept his response as a final answer and deny her request to heal her tormented daughter?
Read Matthew 15 to learn how the story ends.
Here's a hint—she didn't give up. She didn't accept His silence as a denial.
What about you? Do you give up too quickly? Do you accept silence as a denial? Are you willing to go farther, even when justification is not on your side.
The woman in today’s story was willing to stand up what she believed and her beliefs were founded upon the right stuff—Jesus Christ is Lord.
Her Life My Example: The Mother's Request