Studying Jesus' life while He was still alive keeps me on my toes! All of the bible is useful for understanding God's way, but the stories of Jesus' life and how He healed and heard the people surrounding Him are like the foods that feed us. We can't get along without them! And, I believe, this is one of Christ's main purposes in his stories.
In the book of Matthew there is a story about Jesus that sheds light on what is important to me today, the difficulty of approaching those I barely know to ask them if they would like to know Jesus Christ.
So, first a little background for the story.
The story opens in Gentile territory, meaning an area where mostly non-Jews lived. If the Jews of Israel were to believe Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, it would be the Jews who needed to hear and see Jesus at work healing, feeding hordes of people and other-wise behaving as the Messiah was expected to behave. Therefore, Jesus emphasis for his work was for the Jews. Perhaps this story is told for this very reason, for the Jews to know then and now that Jesus Messiah-ship was for them as well as the rest of the world.
In the story, a woman came and knelt before Jesus, begging that He come and heal her daughter of demon-possession. Jesus refused, saying, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." (Mt. 24-28) "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
"The woman answered, "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." At this response, Jesus said, "Woman you have great faith. Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour."
From my Study Bible, "Jesus addressing the Gentile woman, may have been testing her faith, or he may have wanted to use the situation as another opportunity to teach that faith is available to all people."
It appears to me, we must remember that any person is not only acceptable to God, but desirable to God, and if one does recognize and accepts the Father, would or could they not also accept the Son?
Who do you know that may need to know God? I don't know very many people having just recently moved to Minnesota, but must get out and introduce myself and get to know the neighbors. I am eager for this, and trying not to blame it on the weather! We all have fears to hold us back or can justify our lack of effort in some way.
So what the world needs is prayer. I'm going to start right now, praying that I will become acquainted with my neighbors, praying for their lives and their needs, and for the hope I have for my own timidity to become friendliness. And that God will show me those who need Him, the same as I do.
Hope you will also pray for those who enter your life!. And we all must truly remember, "Even the dogs deserve the crumbs from the table." And never judge those who may become Christ's own.!
From one "dog" to another!
Jo of MN
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