August 15, 2011

Matthew 15:21-From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon.

If you are not up on your first century mid-east geography (and who is) Tyre and Sidon was the area just north of Israel. Jesus, having completed an altercation with some Pharisees (the religious leaders of his people) chose to get away from his own kind and go to a place where the people were different. Later in the story Jesus will state that his focus remained on “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” yet he ends up having a heart to heart encounter with a non-Jewish woman from that area, one he finds to have great faith. Increasingly in our world we rub shoulders with people who are different from us- different races, cultures, generations, etc. Are there times when God calls us to “take a trip” into their worlds? When Jesus did this he found a woman of great faith. Are we open to God taking us out of our normal surroundings, routines and acquaintances, at least for a while, to widen our worlds and encounter a greater faith? Could it even happen this week?

Don