Head Scratcher — The Canaanite Woman - Thursday
Today’s Verse
Matthew 15:24-25
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” (ESV)
One of the things I have often admired and appreciated about Jesus is that He does not care if you are a man or a woman, rich or poor, from his hometown or from somewhere halfway around the world. He also does not care about societal norms or expectations. During His ministry on earth, if He encountered one of His “lost sheep,” such as the Canaanite woman, regardless of its age, gender, or pedigree, He was going to care for it.
The Canaanite woman reminds me of another “lost sheep” Jesus encountered. The Samaritan woman at the well, like the desperate Canaanite mom, was a foreigner to Jesus. And not only that, she was an adulterer. While the Canaanite woman was an active participant in the encounter with Jesus, our friend the Samaritan was more of a reluctant guest; however, as she talked with Jesus, she quickly discovered that she, too, like the Canaanite, could benefit from Jesus’ compassion and blessings. And she did not want to keep the joy of this encounter to herself. Soon she was running to tell her friends, and their friends, and their friends until her entire community was learning about and following Jesus!
Both stories, the Canaanite woman and the Samaritan woman, highlight Jesus’ willingness to extend his ministry beyond the Jewish people to the ends of the earth. Jesus shared with His disciples, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now, the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus, the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor” (John 4:35b-38).
REFLECTION
Have you considered “going to the fields” and helping with the harvest? In other words, have you considered volunteering and serving in one of our many ministries to help others come to know the love of Jesus? I invite you to visit our volunteer page to learn more about serving at Southland.