“Lord,” she says, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Mark 7: 28
The incident recorded in Mark 7: 24-30 speaks of desperation. To be desperate is to show extreme urgency or intensity due to a great need or desire. Jesus goes to Gentile Tyre and tries to keep a low profile. He’s far away from the Jewish masses that flock to him wherever he goes. A Gentile woman who needs help for her daughter disregards the fact that she’s a Gentile, a foreigner, an outsider, and goes to Jesus seeking help. She will stop at nothing, even after Jesus calls her an undeserving dog (Mk 7:27). It was as scandalous then as it is now.
The unpleasantness of the term should not be lost on us. Dogs then were wild scavengers that roamed the wilderness eating unclean animals and even human carcasses. They never had their own vets or travelled in the family car, and were definitely not like Leona Helmsley’s pets. She left $12m in her will for her dog. The woman in Mark’s account did not take rejection, insults or “no” for an answer. “Lord,” she says, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs” (v. 28). This impresses Jesus, and he replies: “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter” (v. 29). She gets what she needs.
She was desperate and would do anything for her tormented daughter—to make the pain go away. In her utter desperation she disregards the culture and customs of the day and goes where she doesn’t belong. She was a mother who could not help but do anything and everything for her daughter. The suffering of her daughter compels her to violate boundaries, to go where she shouldn’t, and to beg from strangers. Desperation can make us do crazy and unbecoming things.
People become desperate for a job; for a different, better and more fulfilling job; for a spouse; to have a baby; for family and co-workers to accept and respect them; to pay off the mortgage on a house or car; for a miracle; for Jesus. In desperation, persons have been tempted to do irrational things. Have you ever been desperate for something? What are you desperate for right now? What would compel you to find some poor stranger and beg from him or her?
Do not lose sight of the fact that this mother was not desperate for herself. She wanted help for her daughter. Her desperation was for someone she loved who was in pain. She violated the customs because of her care and concern for someone in pain. Maybe you, too, are desperate for someone you love. It could be a family member, friend, neighbour or co-worker. The person is could be terminally ill and has no faith in Jesus; or is a sibling or child on drugs; or is a partner who is on the wrong side of the track, going in the wrong direction; or it could be the congregation or organization to which you belong. Right now you are feeling desperate for them.
Whatever it is that you are desperate for, take it to the Lord in prayer. God honours our humility and trust. Sean Henriques et al wrote: “This is the air I breathe, This is the air I breathe, Your Holy presence living in me…. And I I'm desperate for you. And I I'm lost without you.”
I am desperate for You Lord.
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