No partiality

Something good comes out from seemingly negative circumstances.

24 From that place he went off to the district of Tyre.[a] He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. 25 Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.[b] For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 28 She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.-Mark7:24-30

During the time of Jesus, the Jews have a very low regard for Gentiles, even calling them 'dogs.' This name-calling is known to the Gentiles, still, they continued with their lives. In the Gospel reading, Jesus in some way indirectly addressed the Syrophoenician woman [and possibly her child and all Gentiles] as 'dogs.' How can this be? Jesus' approach for each and every person is different regardless of one's status or affiliations in life. He was like a teacher to the Samaritan woman by the well. He was a healer to the Samaritan leper. Jesus knows how to weave Himself into our lives. Here, perhaps it is Jesus' intention to put the Syrophoenician woman's faith and love to the test. How far is she willing to go in the name of faith? in her faith in Jesus to cure her child? in her love for her child? Yes, there is a shadow of truth that perhaps a different person would have slapped His Majesty for saying, "Let the children be fed first.[b] For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs." Dogs?! Women are considered weak at that time, and second class citizens. All the more worse if she happens to be a Gentile. But here, the woman has shown much courage,grace and faith while undergoing the test. Her faith is coupled with dauntless sincerity, hope, firm resolution that she will not return home with empty hands, and humility that truly touched Jesus' heart. Her story continues to live on to inspire and touch the hearts of many. But her story is not just about the miraculous healing of her child, but in some way, it is also a story of conversion and a testimony that Jesus does not show partiality at all. He comes to save and help us regardless of our religion, race, status, etc.

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