Matthew 15:21-28

21Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.” 23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”26 And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once. 

Of course, Jesus heard every word the Canaanite woman said but only feigns not to hear. Jesus turns away from her three times in this passage, but the woman does not give up her hope in him. Why? Jesus had a purpose for her and a lesson to teach us in this passage. 

Despite Jesus turning away from her when she first calls to him, the woman persists. The disciples ask Jesus to send her away, but her determination only grows. When we find ourselves seeking God’s help in our lives, there will be times when it seems God is ignoring us, but we must not give up. Our perseverance deepens our faith in God’s love. Others may discourage us just as disciples did in this passage, but we must never give up.

When Jesus turns her away a second time, it appears to the disciples and the world that Jesus is not there to help her and her kind, stating he was sent only for the “lost sheep of Israel.” It seems like another rejection. But the woman does not feel resentful. In actuality, Jesus is specifically calling to her, urging her to strengthen her resolve and keep her hope in him. In moments when we sense God may be turning away from us, we must not become resentful but look upon it as an opportunity to build an even stronger hope.

After Jesus rejects her for the third time, saying, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” the woman still does not lose hope. She humbly acknowledges her unworthiness but maintains her hope in Jesus. Rather than angrily turning away, she responds that even dogs feed off the crumbs that fall from the table. When we face ridicule for our faith, we should also humble ourselves and keep our hope in Jesus strong. Challenges from work, society, and other worldly matters may test us, but we must not become prideful and abandon our hope, knowing deep inside that these hardships are meant to strengthen our faith.

Jesus arrives in Tyre and Sidon with the specific purpose of helping this woman, demonstrating the importance of her enduring hope in him and for us all. Despite facing rejection in three stages, her unwavering faith builds her hope. Because her hope was greater than the hurdles she faced, Jesus rewards her and says, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” Her daughter is healed at once. 

Despite uncertainty about future challenges, God has orchestrated our trials to fortify our hope in Him and appreciate His blessings. Swift fulfillment of hopes risks complacency and loss of hope. Amidst work, societal pressures, and challenges, we must maintain an enduring hope in the Lord. Just as the Canaanite woman does when she is turned away three times, we must build our hope by never giving up, never becoming resentful, and humbling ourselves by accepting our faults.

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