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Mark 7:28 – "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." (NIV)
This morning after breakfast, as I ran my finger around the plate "licking up" toast crumbs, my mind flew to my mother. You see, she grew up in extreme poverty. As a result of the deprivation, she had a true appreciation for the things that we tend to take for granted — things like food. At the end of her meal, she would lick her finger, wipe the plate with the damp digit, then lick her finger clean. That was her way of "licking the platter clean". Naturally, I grew up thinking that I was supposed to "lick up" the crumbs because I wasn't to waste one crumb. Mother always said, "Waste not; want not."
This morning as I "licked up" the crumbs from the plate, my mind drifted to the movie, "Jesus", and a scene based on today's Scripture, where a Palestinian woman fell at His feet begging our Lord to heal her desperately-sick daughter. His reply was that He had been sent to the Israelites, not to the Gentiles. Her reply stuck with me like crumbs to my damp finger: "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs lap up the crumbs beneath the table." Jesus responded that she had exhibited great faith, and He told her to go home; her daughter was healed.
In the movie, Jesus' disciples objected to this healing. He replied that He had seen a dying child and asked them, "Did you want me to let her die?" The mother's situation had been hopeless, desperate. Jesus was her last, only, and best hope. Thus, He honoured her crumbs of faith.
Just as Jesus honoured the request of the Palestinian mother from long ago, crumbs on my plate remind me that Jesus still honours the smallest crumbs of faith.
Prayer: Father God, we find it hard to have faith when life throws impossible challenges our way. We ask You to increase our crumbs of faith so that we may face life's difficulties, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Thought: God will honour our smallest crumbs of faith.
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Good word, thanks Cass!
Great illustration Cass and application.
Written indeed for days when we readers are feeling crummy!!
Good illustration – I’ve always been intrigued by Jesus’ first response to this woman but she showed not only that she had enough faith, but great humility as well.
Blessings.
Hi Cass,
I was raised in a similar situation where it took a great measure of faith to meet those challenges.
Thank you for reminding us.
May God continue to shine His face upon you.
Dear Cassandra,
This is a beautiful devotional. Thanks.
I, like you, grew up in “clean up your plate” times — in the thirties. We were on a farm where the food came mostly from our garden and farmyard, by direct work of the family.
We did not waste. I feel with Jesus when he did not want waste.
Why should we waste when there are hungry people in the world for whom we can give our savings?
Most importantly, we can save so we can have the best part in the spreading of the glories of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of the world. Many fine missions need our crumbs and much more.
Keep writing.
Thanks for the reassuring message.
Hi Cass,
This devotional is, as always, simple, and to the point. Thanks for the reminder.
Amen to your prayer.