“Live at peace with everyone” is a frequent command in the bible (Rom 12v18, 1 Tim 2v2, Heb 12v14). We might translate this in our own minds as ‘do your best not to give offence’. Does that sound reasonable? In today’s passage we see Jesus being really offensive to the Canaanite woman – likening her to a dog (v26) and offending the Pharisees so much that the disciples speak up for them (v12)!
What of you and me? How quick are we to take offence? Are there home truths we need to hear? The Pharisees worked very hard at being holy; doing what they believed to be the right things. They took offence when Jesus challenged their traditions and rules about external behaviour. Jesus knew these were powerless to change the human heart. Are we in danger of trying to do things in our own strength; following a faith of ‘rules taught by men’?
The Canaanite woman didn’t take offence at being likened to a dog but used the blunt truth (that she was not an Israelite) to recognise her status before Jesus and nonetheless ask for “crumbs from the table”. In engaging with Jesus she was commended for showing “great faith” (v28).
How good are we at telling or receiving difficult truths? Are we quick to duck the issue and opt out of challenging others or when confronted argue our corner, self justify or just go off in a huff! Perhaps we should be more like Nehemiah, when giving rebuke, he did not act in anger (Neh 5v6) but rather “pondered [the charges] in [his] mind” (v7) before acting. Or the Canaanite woman: looking for the truth in what might offend, engaging with Jesus and responding with humility.
(reflections for the week 15th - 21st January written by members of a homegroup)