Jesus came from a family. He was born in what is current day Palestine. He had a whole nation behind him and a religion with a deep tradition. He knew who his people were.

He had a connection to the power of God. He could heal those he touched. He could heal from afar. It did not have to be a physical touch. His desires and prayers came with results.

He was getting much attention for this. People from far and wide knew he had the goods. They, too, longed for healing for their family.

He was there for his people. He was part of the chosen tribes.

Along came a woman. She was not from his religion or his nation. She was not part of his family. Yet she had a problem. Her daughter was tormented with something that no doctor could heal. She knew her only chance for relief for her child was Jesus. Is there no balm in Gilead?

So, she boldly came to him. She begged for healing for her daughter. And he healed her and end of story, right? No, here is where it gets interesting. He says no. Sometimes when we come to God in prayer and we feel the answer is no, we give up. He says more than no. He says the children must be fed first. We do not want to give children’s food to the dogs.

So, some of you value your dogs, very much and want your dogs fed and cared for as you care for family. Yet, for Jesus to say, ‘It is taking from children and giving to dogs’ He is basically calling her child a dog. Those would be fighting words for me. I would come up swinging. A friend of mine told me I tend to kill a gnat with a sledge hammer. My sister said, “Well, you want to make sure the gnat is dead.” Calling me a dog, would not go down well.

We could have a long theological conversation about the whys of this encounter. And believe me much ink has been spilled trying to justify what Jesus said. But that leaves out an important detail, and the whole point of the encounter in the first place, a little girl needs healing. A little girl is sick. A little girl needs help.

So, this mother has not forgotten the need and why she is there. She does not stop at no. She remains humble. “Yes, (or Lord, or Sir), Even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs.” She is only asking for the leftovers. You have enough time, energy, gifts to heal my daughter even though she is not of your fold.

So, did Jesus smite her for talking back? Of course not. He is impressed. He changes his mind and tells her because of saying that, her child is healed.

Jesus changes his mind. When we are learning to preach, we are taught not to enter into the story as Jesus because Jesus is the hero. Well, folks Jesus is not the hero here. Jesus was wrong. Jesus had to grow. She chastises him and he takes it. She changes his mind.

I know that sounds like blasphemy. Yet that is what the text says. Let’s look at what happens before and after this encounter.

In ch 6 – Mark records a feeding 5,000 miracle. And there are baskets left over. How many? 12. Then in chapter 8 another miracle of feeding 4,000 happens and there are leftovers. This time the number of left over baskets is 7.

Numbers matter to the people in biblical days. 12 represents the 12 tribes of Israel. Go and bring in your people. There is plenty for them.

But there are 7 nations of the world. Jesus went from healing and feeding his people to loving the whole world.

What happened in between? This woman happened.

Jesus changed his mind. That is what repentance is. Changing our mind. I know people have a hard time thinking of Jesus changing. But do we really think Jesus was born knowing how to talk? Do we think he was born and then walked out of the stable with Mary and Joseph? We know physical development takes time. Yet so does spiritual and emotional development. Jesus learned that his mission was wider and more inclusive than he thought.

Jesus lived under a myth of scarcity. Love multiplies it does not divide or subtract.
This is good news. If Jesus can change his mind, then so can I. I want to be like Jesus. I really want to be like this woman, humble persistence. She was what Edwin Friedman calls a non-anxious presence. She was laser focused. She loved her child more than her pride.

When given a compassionate retort, can I change my mind? That is the call for us.

The gospels contain so many miracles; feeding large crowds, healing the mind and body. Yet a huge miracles is Jesus changed his mind. It would be quite a miracle when we are so locked into our ideologies. Can we change our minds? May it be so.

I remember during communion in my childhood every time we had communion we prayed the prayer of humble access which comes from this story. Perhaps you remember it like me:

We do not presume to come to this thy table,
O merciful Lord,
trusting in our own righteousness,
but in thy manifold and great mercies.
We are not worthy
so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table.
But thou art the same Lord,
whose property is always to have mercy.
Grant us, therefore, gracious Lord,
so to partake of this Sacrament of thy Son Jesus Christ,
that we may walk in newness of life,
may grow into his likeness,
and may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

That is what I call humbling ourselves. May we catch the spirit of this woman. Where ever we were born, whoever our parents are. We claim not our name only, but the name of those we do not even know how to pronounce. We are proud of our heritage. Can we honor those proud of theres? Can we open our hearts and minds to include those who long for the touch of God who are outside of our traditions and experiences? May it be so. AMEN.