“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”—Matthew 15:27 (NIV)

Panic invaded my soul the minute I left for the recreation center. Our pool operates on a first come, first serve basis. During the summer, swimming lessons occupy one of the few lanes open for lap swimmers. I never know if I will get a lane, or if I will have to wait for one to open.

On the surface it seems so trivial. But the situation invokes a familiar pain—one that comes from feeling excluded, or that there is no room for me. If I give in to these feelings, they can shake my faith and create insecurity. 

In these moments, I draw courage from the Canaanite woman in the New Testament. Like me, she felt excluded and out of place. But instead of giving in to her emotions, she responded with faith and confidence. 

Her story opens at a time when Jesus traveled to the region of Tyre and Sidon, two Gentile cities. This woman would have every reason to feel excluded from Jesus’ circle. Not only was she a Gentile, but her people, the Canaanites, were ancient enemies of the Israelites. 

Yet she boldly asked Jesus to heal her daughter who suffered from demon possession. Unlike the Jewish leaders, this woman recognized Jesus’ identity as the Messiah by calling Him both Lord and the Son of David (Matthew 15:21-22).

But Jesus ignored her, which seems so out of character for Him. Maybe He wanted to test her faith. Or He could have wanted to make a point to His disciples. When the woman continued to cry after them, they asked Jesus to do something (Matthew 15:23). 

Instead of addressing the woman, Jesus responded directly to His disciples, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24 NIV). 

In this woman’s place, I would have said, “That’s it! There’s no room for me.” And I would have walked away. But instead, the woman threw herself at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to help her (Matthew 15:25).

And then Jesus said something which sounds so callous, “‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs’” (Matthew 15:26 NIV). The word Jesus uses for dog, kunarion, describes a family pet. In essence Jesus tells her, “It isn’t right to take the children’s supper and feed it to their pets.” 

To understand Jesus’ words, we need to consider the focus of His ministry. God always intended for His Messiah to bring salvation to all people (Isaiah 49:6). But He planned for the gospel to come first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles (Romans 1:16). 

Jesus knew that bringing salvation to the Gentiles too early would have alienated the Jewish people and jeopardized God’s plan. So His response to the Canaanite woman meant,  “It isn’t right to distract me from my mission to take salvation first to the Jews.” 

But instead of retreating, the woman pressed forward. I can almost see the gleam of understanding in this woman’s eyes as she responded:

“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:27 NIV)

She wasn’t excluded—Jesus saved her a place in His Kingdom. After praising her for her faith, Jesus healed her daughter (Matthew 15:27-28).

We live in a world where space is limited. Sometimes there really is no room for us. Other times we have to wait our turn. But where it really matters, with Jesus, we are never excluded. He always saves us a place. 

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that there is always room for us. Help us respond with the faith of the Canaanite woman whenever we doubt this truth. We pray this in Your name. Amen.