Nougat 13

Hi

The matter of umbrage is a very real one. In some instances it is absolutely justified and justifiable. Take for example a white male assuming that the person ahead of him was a migrant and illiterate, based on the color of their skin. Or today’s Holy Nougat

“Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”” Mark‬ ‭7:27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

First I should feed … Jesus has always been fixated with timing. One could argue, and rightfully so, that He was only telling her ‘wait your turn’. Remember when His mother sensed that it was time for His ministry to be launched? Jesus replied, dear woman, it’s not yet my business. Why are you coming to me about it? (John 2:4)

So it seems natural for Jesus to put the person off. There is also something else occurring in the wider narrative. Jesus seems to have been incognito. He did not wish to be found! In the natural, Jesus went away from His usual spots to an unnamed location for the sole purpose of getting away. Since this was shortly after the feeding miracle; He might have been avoiding the freeloaders; or He might have been drained from yet another round with his ‘friends’, the Pharisees. Whatever the justification; Jesus certainly didn’t mince His words.

It’s interesting to note that we all have moments where we assume that Jesus has dismissed us as summarily as He seems to dismiss the woman. And perhaps He did. How do we take Jesus’ dismissal of our deepest concerns? When He seems to be saying, ‘Well, you’re not IN the family; and I must feed the children first, not the dog!”? It cannot be an easy swallow. And maybe we turn away, defeated and offended.

Of course, many of us carry offense at God for the response to our prayers; but are too dignified to be honest about it. And that’s the rub.

For if we go back to Mary’s response in John 2; we realize that she simply told the servers, ‘Follow His instructions (carefully)’. No pleading, no offense taken at Jesus’ tone; just ‘do whatever He tells you’. Could God’s no, Jesus’ apparent rejection of our request sometimes be a call for us to ask for more? To believe that if we are created in God’s likeness; then we are heirs to God’s gifts? Especially those called by Jesus’ name?

We can focus on the slur, or we can choose to consider the timing. What we ought not do is stay in the offense. Not with anyone else, but definitely NOT with Jesus.

In Christ’s love and grace . . .