She Knew

From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”  But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”  Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.”
Mark 7: 24-29


The people had heard He was coming into town.  They were anxious to bring Him their sick and dying.  They wanted to hear His words, but they thought He was not there yet.  They were anxiously waiting.  It was early morning.  Some children had been sent to the roads near town to see if they could see Him and His disciples.  No one had spotted Jesus yet. 

The truth was that Jesus and His disciples had come into town late the night before.  They were staying with a friend, and Jesus had commanded them not to tell He was there.  He had wanted to pray to the Father and refresh His Soul.  The Apostles and Disciples were still resting.  Jesus had gone off to e quiet place to pray.  He had left early in the morning without telling anyone.  This was not uncommon for Him to do.  He had been very tired when they arrived, and, He was still fatigued, but He had been praying to His Father since very early in the morning.  Now, He was more refreshed. 

Jesus was walking back to the home where He was staying.  He could smell the fresh bread being made in the village.  He was passing by a house where a woman was already at work.  She saw Him, and she recognized the Rabbi.  She was tired.  The air was already hot.  She saw Him walk past her on His way home.  She had only heard about Jesus and His teachings and healing.  Her daughter, her only child, began to screech so she ran to care for the young girl.  The child’s arms were flaying and there was foam in her mouth.  The mother held her daughter until the demon’s attack subsided.  She bathed her daughter in the only cool water the family had.  Slowly, the demon let go of his hold on her daughter, and she was limp and exhausted.  The woman  handed their child to her husband.

“I must find Him.  He will heal her.”

Her husband said, “He will not heal her.  We are not Jews.”

The woman looked squarely into her husband’s eyes with determination.  “He will heal her.”

With determination, the mother pulled on her veil and walked through town.  She was not to be stopped.  The town was just beginning to stir.  The veil of night had just been lifted and a gentle, soft mantle of daylight covered their town.  She walked until she saw the home.  She knew He was there.  No one had to tell her.  She raced toward the door, and He stepped out.  She looked into His eyes.  They were so kind and loving.  She fell on her knees at His feet.  She knew that, according to His law, she was a gentile and unclean.  She dared not touch Him, though she would have washed His feet and dried them.

“Master,” she said, “My daughter, a demon posses my daughter. Cast the demon out that she might be free.  Heal her, good Master. “

Jesus smiled at the woman, though she couldn’t see Him for she was looking at the ground.  She dared not speak.  She heard one of His followers say, “Master, we will drive her away so she doesn’t bother You.”  The woman of the house came out with a towel yelling, “Get out of here, woman.  You are not welcome here!”

The woman grabbed a small plant growing in front of the door. Her hands were bleeding from the small thorns.  The pain and the blood did not matter.  She would not go home until the Master healed her daughter. 

She cried out again, as Jesus stepped between her and the angry woman of the house. “I would like a drink of water,”  He said to the woman  The angry woman stopped and left to get the Master His water.

“Master, please heal my daughter!  She suffers greatly!  The demon attacks her.”

By now many of the towns people realized that Jesus was in town and had gather around the woman and Jesus.

Jesus said to the woman, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”

The woman lifted her eyes to the Lord.  She still held on to the small bush.  Her voice was shaking as she replied, but she would not give up.

“Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Jesus knelt near this gentile woman.  He touched her on her shoulder and helped her up from the ground where she had been prostrate before Him.  The towns people gasped.  She was a gentile, and she was unclean. 

Jesus looked into her eyes. Her eyes were overflowing with tears of love and supplication.

“For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.”

The woman inhaled sharply, but she knew that what Jesus had said was true.  She bowed at His feet.  She whispered, “Thank you, Master.”  He smiled at her.  She ran through the stunned crowd that had gathered to see the drama.  They had expected to see Him send her away because she was a gentile.

One of His disciples came up and said, “Why?  She’s a gentile.  Why did you heal her daughter?”

“She has great Faith, Peter.  She will join Me in paradise one day.   She is very close to the Father.” Jesus said quietly.  Jesus found a bench and began to heal the ones who were waiting for Him.  He was given a cup of water and some bread, but he laid the food aside to teach His people.”

The woman raced into her home.  Her husband was crying.  She saw her daughter working in the kitchen making bread for her parents.  The child smiled.  She was at peace.  She was healed.  The family sat down to a meal prepared by the child.  They gathered to pray before their meal.  God was good.

Jesus saw everything, and He smiled.  The line of people grew.  He healed the sick.  He cast out demons.    He taught.  He was on His way to Jerusalem.