Persistent Faith

What would you do if Jesus not only rejected you? Put yourself in the shoes of the woman in the text for today. A gentile woman who comes to Jesus with the deepest cry of a parent’s heart, only to be met with what seems like silence and even contempt. Her daughter—her precious child—was tormented by an unclean spirit and who knows for how long. But imagine—the sleepless nights, the constant fear, and the heartache of watching her little girl suffer, feeling utterly powerless to stop it. And like any loving parent, she had likely tried every option. Physicians, religious leaders, anyone who might offer hope—yet no one could help.

But, she had heard about Jesus—a man who healed the sick, cast out demons, and had even raised a little girl from the dead. Surely, He could help her. So driven by love and desperation, she sought Him out and begged for His mercy. And what was Jesus’ reply? “Let the children (the people of Israel)—not you, or your daughter—be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” First, he denies her—rejects her plea, and then insults her—he calls her a dog—a dog! From what we know about Jesus, this seems completely out of character. But imagine if it was you—What would you do if Jesus rejected you like that? What do we do when Jesus seemingly turns us away?

Well, this woman, could have just picked up her stuff and left. She could have picked up her things, feeling defeated and heartbroken. After all, no one else had been able to help, so maybe Jesus wasn’t who people claimed Him to be. His words made it clear: He didn’t want to help her. He didn’t want to show mercy. He had other people to tend to first. I mean, when someone insults me, when someone rejects me, I usually don’t want anything to do with them. So that’s what she could have done—turned her back on Jesus and left.

And sadly, this is what many people choose to do. I have friends who I grew up with that ended up turning their back on Jesus—their back on the church—because they felt “rejected.” They felt insulted, and they feel like they don’t belong. And I’m sure you know people as well who would say the same thing. Colleagues. Friends. Family members. And there are many reasons for it—but often times it’s because Jesus has to speak a harsh word to us—a word of Law—that accuses us, that cuts deep, and reveals our sin. It’s uncomfortable when that happens, and it hurts! And rather than listening, it’s easier to turn our back. And in doing so, reject Jesus.

So, one way we can respond to Jesus when he seemingly rejects us, is to turn our back on him. But another response that we can have, is to work harder to gain his favor. When this woman was rejected by Jesus, he called her a dog and said that you are not “one of the children.” In response, she could have said “what do I need to do to become a child?” “What can I do to earn your favor? To earn your mercy so that I can receive what you offer?” This reaction reflects a common human impulse: when faced with rejection, we assume we need to earn acceptance. It’s as though we’re trying to bargain with God, thinking, “If I do more, pray more, serve more, then surely I’ll be good enough for Him to bless me.”

The temptation to think this way is strong because it’s how much of the world operates. We’re conditioned to believe that love, respect, and favor must be earned through hard work, good deeds, or flawless performance. And so, if we feel rejected by God, it must be because we haven’t done enough. So, we strive, we push ourselves, thinking that maybe if we check all the right boxes, do the right things, say the right words, that God will finally look upon us with favor and grant us what we desire—that’s how we would be considered “children.”

But here’s the problem with that approach: it turns our relationship with God into a transactional one. We begin to see His grace and mercy as things to be earned, rather than a free gift through faith. And this is not how Jesus operates. His mercy, His love, His grace—they are gifts, freely given. They can’t be earned, no matter how hard we try. Paul tells us that grace is the free gift of God so that no one may boast in their good works.

So, when we feel that Jesus turns us away, we can turn our backs to him, or we can try and earn his mercy through our own good works. A third option is to do what this woman did—which is to hold God accountable to the promises that he has made. I know—it sounds bold. But that’s what she’s doing, whether she knew it or not. Because long ago, God had made a covenant with Abraham—that all nations would be blessed through him. Not just the people of Israel, but everyone. Of every nation, tribe and tongue. And what’s even more beautiful is that she doesn’t deny what Jesus says—she agrees in a humble, persistent faith, “Yes, Lord, that may be what I am, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Luther’s Works, Volume 6 28. Then he said: Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.

Even if He hides Himself in a room in the house and does not want access to be given to anyone, do not draw back but follow. If He does not want to listen, knock at the door of the room; raise a shout! For this is the highest sacrifice, not to cease praying and seeking until we conquer Him. He has already surrendered Himself to us so that we may be certain of victory, for He has bound Himself to HIS promises and pledged His faithfulness with an oath, saying (John 16:23): “Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, He will give it to you in My name.” Likewise (Mark 16:16): “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.”