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- Oct 26, 2007
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“But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. ….” Matthew 15:23 NLT
One day Jesus heads north with His disciples to the region of Tyre and Sidon. He specifically says He wants His presence kept secret. Yet a Syrian woman spots them down the street, runs up, and falls at the feet of Jesus. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly demon-possessed”
Jesus stands there looking at her—saying nothing.
The disciples can’t stand quiet, so they start berating the Syrian woman. By the end, they’re telling Jesus to send her away.
Jesus continues looking into the woman’s eyes. No one has ever looked at her with such love and compassion. Before Jesus breaks His silence. He is speaking to the Syrian woman’s heart. And, when He breaks His silence, the woman knows what Jesus has done and plans to do next.
Imagine if Jesus had started talking the moment the Syrian woman begged for His help. True, Jesus still would have healed her daughter…but everything else would have been lost.
In Jesus’ eyes, it was more important to win and heal and bless the Syrian woman’s heart. To grant her true heart’s desire. To honor and respect her before her own people. And finally, to ensure that His disciples would never treat women and foreigners the same again.
Prayer: Lord, transform me. Make me a listener, a love of souls, a man who treats others well.
One day Jesus heads north with His disciples to the region of Tyre and Sidon. He specifically says He wants His presence kept secret. Yet a Syrian woman spots them down the street, runs up, and falls at the feet of Jesus. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly demon-possessed”
Jesus stands there looking at her—saying nothing.
The disciples can’t stand quiet, so they start berating the Syrian woman. By the end, they’re telling Jesus to send her away.
Jesus continues looking into the woman’s eyes. No one has ever looked at her with such love and compassion. Before Jesus breaks His silence. He is speaking to the Syrian woman’s heart. And, when He breaks His silence, the woman knows what Jesus has done and plans to do next.
Imagine if Jesus had started talking the moment the Syrian woman begged for His help. True, Jesus still would have healed her daughter…but everything else would have been lost.
In Jesus’ eyes, it was more important to win and heal and bless the Syrian woman’s heart. To grant her true heart’s desire. To honor and respect her before her own people. And finally, to ensure that His disciples would never treat women and foreigners the same again.
Prayer: Lord, transform me. Make me a listener, a love of souls, a man who treats others well.
