Faith in the Face of Pressure

Faith in the Face of Pressure

Matthew 15:21-28, New International Version

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Passage: Matthew 15: 21-28, NIV

1. There is a demonic spirit oppressing her child and her child is suffering.  
2. She is living with both unfavorable and unavoidable labels.
3. There are men who want to silence a voice that wasn’t even directed toward them - she’s not paying attention to them, yet they want to silence her.  
4. There appears to be a Savior who is selective in His approach toward who He wants to help and who he does not - The Savior of all seems to make a distinction between those worthy of help and those who are not - this is a tough moment to process.  
5. And yet the pressure of the situation allows for great faith to shine through!  I don’t think Jesus would have made Himself available to this pressured - woman to leave her hanging.