The Blessing of Beggars
by MTS Associate Director Michael Langer
Anyone who has spent any time in the city has heard their share of stories from numerous nameless, faceless homeless people. This is nothing new.
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 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.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. Matthew 15:21-28.
Jesus was only saying what the disciples were thinking when he called her a dog, because this encounter was as much about teaching the disciples as it was about blessing her. This is nothing new.
“Excuse me, I wonder if you could spare some change so I can make a phone call?”
Those were the first words Marc ever said to me. I heard them as I was walking out of McDonalds in 2007 while I was in seminary in St. Louis. They came from a disheveled, but very polite and articulate black man.
Like most, I, too, usually just keep walking. But this time I chose the road less traveled by, and it’s made all the difference.
(Read More)
|
