In Matthew 15:21-28 we find a women who was a social outcast. You see she was a greek, a canaanite. In essence, she was at the bottom of the “food” chain so to speak.
She was also a mother, the mother of a very sick girl. The bible says the girl was “grievously vexed by the devil.” But the mother had something better that she hadn’t had in a long time. Hope. And his name was Jesus.
He was ministering in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Living in the same area was a women from canaan seeking help for her daughter. She was the outcast because of where she was from. A “dog” in their eyes. But at this point, race didn’t matter to her, ethnic background went out the window, her place in society no longer hindered her, she was desperate and she knew He could help.
She cries, “Jesus, thou Son of David. Have mercy on me..”
It seems that He ignored her, his disciples said just walk away, in fact they even told Him to just “send her away.” Jesus response was simply, “I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Then the story goes on, she follows them. The scripture says, “Then came she and worshiped Him.” But this still didn’t grab His attention, in fact He called her a dog! He says, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it to the dogs”.
Now stay with me, theres an underlying lesson being played here. Her hope wouldn’t die. Her desperate faith just wouldn’t quit. She then says this “Truth Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the masters table.”
Jesus realizes the level of her faith, the depth of her determination. He says to her, “O women, great is thy faith: be unto thee even as thou wilt.” He didn’t just say “be healed”. He was saying, “woman whatever you want- is yours.”
Now most being called a dog, would have been insulted, discouraged, put down, disappointed, but this had just the opposite effect, she seen an opportunity, she didn’t want a “meal” or a “fancy dinner”. She didn’t even want the “main course”. She just wanted a “crumb”. “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the masters table.” All she needed was a “crumb” of his power, just a little bit, the leftover bits. Just a crumb.
She was saying, “Lord, my faith in You is such that if one crumb is all I get, it is still sufficient to deliver and heal my daughter.”
All we need is a “crumb” of His power suffice our needs!
One more point: The word translated “dog” here actually means puppy. Have you ever been around a puppy? You walk into a house with a puppy its excited, its uncontrollable, it demands your attention.
She said, “I’ll be like a little puppy.” Somehow, someway I’ll get your attention, I’m excited, if its a crumb I get, nothing will stand in my way to get it!
We ought to be like little puppies at the alter with our needs, uncontrollable, excited, our faith should demand the attention of God. Desperate faith moves God.
If there is enough power in one crumb to heal a sick daughter…
If there is enough power in one crumb to make tormenting demons take flight…
If there is enough power in one crumb, to cause healing virtue to flow from heaven…
If there is enough power in one crumb that an outcast Gentile women received a “whatever-you-want-is-yours ” response…
How much more power should we get from the whole loaf of bread. If He will do all that for a dog, with just a crumb, what is he willing and waiting to do for His children who gather around His table and have access to the Bread of Life?