The Lion That Ran Away

This story in the Bible is different! It seems almost like it doesn’t belong in the Bible, it’s so much unlike Jesus.

It’s about a lady who did everything right that she knew, was as “worthy” as anyone ever was, but when she prayed, Jesus “answered her not a word” (Matthew 15:23). Sometimes people (and children) pray and it seems that He “answers [them] not a word”!

I remember once I had a pet chicken, a Rhode Island Red hen. I called her “Brownie.” She became sick. In Sunday School the teachers had told us that Jesus answers prayer, and it’s true, He does answer prayer. But when I prayed for Brownie, she simply died, just as though I had not prayed.

Plenty of children wonder if they can trust the miracle stories they hear of wonderfully answered prayer. Sometimes they get discouraged. So it’s interesting to find a story in the Bible about a lady praying when Jesus “answered her not a word.”

This time Jesus was visiting in a “foreign land,” you might say, a long walk up to what was called “the region of Tyre and Sidon,” where people called Gentiles lived. Jews thought Gentiles were people God didn’t care about.

Jesus with His disciples was walking down the road when a Gentile lady came up to Him. She had heard about Him, and believed that He was the true Messiah, Savior of the world.” She had heard that He healed the sick, and did many wonderful things for people who asked Him. She “cried out to Him” so as to be sure He heard her, “‘Son of David! Have mercy upon me! My daughter has a demon and is in a terrible condition.’”(When this Gentile lady called Him “Son of David,” that’s how we know she believed He was the “Savior of the world.”) Please heal my daughter!

Always Jesus would never turn anyone away. So it’s very surprising to read that He “did not say a word to her.” He just kept on walking as though she was a nobody. Have you ever wondered if Jesus thinks you are a nobody? This story is for you!

But she kept on pleading with Him. He acted as though the prayer of a Gentile woman meant nothing to Him. “His disciples came to Him and begged Him, ‘Send her away! She is following us and making all this noise!’” She must have annoyed them, asking them to get Him to pay attention to her.

He just walks on with His disciples getting annoyed with this lady. If He would only tell her “Go away!” she would leave them to enjoy their little vacation “near the cities of Tyre and Sidon.” The lady’s daughter can just stay sick so far as they cared. She’s nobody.

Now what’s going to happen?

The lady kept on pleading. Then Jesus said something that shocks us. How could He say this to her? “I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.” In other words, I don’t have anything for you Gentiles! Goodbye.

But she wouldn’t say goodbye; she hung on.

Then she plunked herself down in His path, so He couldn’t move. “At this the woman came and fell at His feet. ‘Help me, Sir!’” She probably looked Him right in the eyes.

Then He said something that must have been hard for her to take. “Jesus answered, ‘It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’” But bad as that sounded, she didn’t get angry.

The lady was smart. She came right back at Him, “That’s true, Sir,’ she answered. But even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their masters’ table.’” Jesus loves to have people pray to Him like that! Be honest, and tell Him how you feel. Don’t try to hide anything.

When He heard her say that, Jesus could play this game no longer. All this while, His disciples had been watching and listening. Now they were to see how their ideas had been wrong: “So Jesus answered her, ‘You are a woman of great faith! What you want will be done for you!’ And at that very moment her daughter was healed” (verses 21 -28).

All this had been something like a game. Jesus was only pretending, acting this way. He knew His disciples had the wrong idea about Gentiles; He wanted them to learn. They never afterward forgot. God loves everybody, not just those who think they are His chosen people.

Jesus had heard her, but this time she had to wait until He taught His disciples a lesson.

When you pray, know and believe that He does hear you. But maybe you don’t know all that’s happening behind the scenes. Hang on like this lady did; as soon as He can be fair to everyone involved, He will give you what you need. All along, the lady knew and believed that “God is love.” She wouldn’t give up that idea. And second, she kept on praying. I love this story! I hope you do, too.