A Daily Devotion for Wednesday, August 5
- ontrakk
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Matthew 15:21-28
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 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.”
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.”
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
These verses have always bothered me. But I did what I have done before, and looked up an explanation of their meaning. It just seemed so out-of- character for Jesus to treat anyone unkindly, and to me, this language seems unkind. This is what I found, and it was helpful to me.
First, the woman does recognize exactly who Jesus is, and although she is not of the same faith background, she understands his Holy power. Jesus sees this, and heals her daughter. Everyone deserves God’s love. Everyone. It is never a question for us to ask. This makes me think again about prison ministries. Would it ever be right to ask each inmate what their crime had been and sort them out before offering God’s word and love? God would never ever turn his back on any of his creation. For that I am so thankful!
Holy Lord, thank you for your love, which includes everyone and everything you have created. Help me to show that love, shine your light, and be a comfort and a help to others, without judgment. Amen
Becky, transforming
Daily devotions (Upper Room)
Wednesday, August 5th, 2026
Crumbs
(Focus: To Show God’s Grace To Everyone I Meet
Today’s Reading Matthew 15: 21-28
Matthew 15:26-27
And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.”
I had to do more research on this verse as well. the Canaanite woman refers to herself as a dog to humbly accept her position as a gentile while arguing that she is still entitled to God’s mercy. Her response, yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table," was a display of profound…
Matthew 15:21-28
Thank you, Becky for the link to help understand these verses, as they are a bit confusing. The explanation softens what appeared to be Jesus being harsh and even mean. How could that possibly be???
“…even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the masters table”
To me, after reading the explanation, this statement is very important in this reading. The Canaanite woman has trust and believes even a crumb is enough. She is persistent in her faith and she does not leave “Lord, help me”, simple and trusting.
Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me this example of faith through Your Word. Please teach me to be persistent in my prayer and believe that You will…
Matthew 15:21-28
This is a challenging passage, but one that beautifully shows Jesus’ perfect blend of justice and mercy. Jesus’ mission was to God’s chosen people and His nature is one of obedience to the Father. The heart of this desperate woman, however, was clear to Jesus and by His mercy, her daughter was healed. As followers of Jesus we should know what we believe, why we believe it and always stand for the truth. That truth includes mercy which should extend to those who differ from us. Judgement is the sole provence of the Lord. Ours is, as best as we are able, to offer love. Christian love does not connote approval of sin or unbelief, but compassion for…