Give them some crumbs, please
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, Sovereign, Heir of David, my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But Jesus did not answer her a word. And the disciples came and begged Jesus saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Bust she came and knelt before Jesus, saying, "Sovereign, help me." And Jesus answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Sovereign, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owners' table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matthew 15:21-28)
This is one of my new favorite stories in the Bible. It was only recently that it finally made sense to me, and I want to make a few observations about it. I don't claim that I'm saying anything new or mind-blowing, and much of what I'm saying is adapted from the writings of others, but here are a few thoughts:
The Canaanite woman was an advocate: This is important to remember. This woman was begging, not for herself, but for her daughter. She knows that Jesus can save her daughter, so she goes to him.
In the same way, we should advocate for others. Too often, I argue for inclusion of lesbians and gays in the church for the wrong reasons. I want my rights, and I want them now. That is not the road we should travel. I should become an advocate for gays and lesbians because they are spit on, cast out, and called names. I should be working for the sake of the little girl whose parents send her to shock therapy, and for the little boy who is beaten to a pulp at church camp because he has a lisp.
Likewise, I challenge you, Christian, to be our advocate. So often, I feel as though I am struggling alone. I need preachers, teachers, elders, fathers, mothers, and single straight people on my side. You don't have to believe that the so-called "gay lifestyle" is acceptable to God. As a Christian, though, you should believe that it is wrong to demonize, to judge, to trample, and to condemn. You should speak up when you hear the word "dyke." You should step in when you hear someone called a "sissy" or a "pansy." You should shout and scream and yell when rumors circulate about someone's "tendencies." We need you, and you have a responsibility to us as your sisters and brothers in Christ. It is our job, mine and yours, to advocate for the eradication of homophobia and bigotry in our fellowship.
The Canaanite woman was persistent: She didn't give up. She followed behind Jesus and his disciples crying and begging for help. The reason: she knew the stakes (her daughter's life), and she knew that help could be found (she had faith in the power of Christ).
In the same way, we advocates for change should be encouraged to keep working and to never give up. Keep crying out, because (1) the stakes are high and (2) change is possible. The stakes are high because people's lives are in the balance. And I believe that change is possible because I have faith that, with time, with effort, and with the help of the hand of God, we can convince people in Churches of Christ that gay men are more than AIDS storage facilities and that lesbians are more than butch women who just need some makeup and the right man.
We (all of us, even you) must argue for tolerance, acceptance, and eventual affirmation, and we must not give up.
Jesus is transformed as a result of this woman's advocacy: I think it is difficult to underestimate the implications of this point. Some state that Jesus was just trying to make a point. They argue that he always planned to help the Canaanite woman and that he was just trying to teach the disciples a lesson.
I see no reason to think that was the case. If it were, why go to the lengths of referring to the Canaanite woman as a dog? I, like many others, believe that this WOMAN, through the power of her weakness and the strength of her faith, changed Jesus' mind.
Advocacy can change people. It can make people think what they never thought they would, and it can encourage them to act in ways we never thought imaginable. But, to accomplish change, we have to advocate in the right way. When Jesus referred to the woman as a dog, she did not respond by calling him a pig, a fascist, or a bigot. That would be the easy response, as those who have ever been called a "faggot" can probably attest. When someone calls you a name, you want to strike back, whether with your fists or your tongue.
But when you are an advocate, you must remember the goal at hand: save your daughter's life (or, show the lesbians and gays in your fellowship that they are loved by God). Striking back at Jesus could have meant her daughter's death, so the quick, bright woman responds, "even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owners' table." Though it nearly kills us to swallow our pride, we might have to say "even a faggot deserves better than to be abandoned by his family," or "even a sissy deserves to be protected from abuse." Serving the person for whom we advocate is more important than protecting our feelings.
Her self-effacing, humble, faithful response astounds Jesus. He praises her faith and instantly heals her daughter. She may not have won the game, she may have been forced to swallow her pride, but her daughter survived. May we be so faithful and so successful.
We should be advocates, not just in front our fellow man, but in front of God himself: Jesus was a man, but he was also God. We should be advocates in front of God for change, for acceptance, and for progress.
And, for those of you who believe that gays and lesbians cannot enter the kingdom, I ask you to be an advocate in this respect: ask God to change his mind. There's nothing in the rules against that, is there? Ask God to welcome all into his kingdom, regardless of sex, sexuality, sin, etc. Beg. Plead. Like Abraham plead for Sodom. It may not work, but, then again, it may. If you really believe that I am wrong, ask God to change his mind.
And finally, we should remember that even the crumbs are enough: The woman was able to say what she said ("even the dogs eat the crumbs") because she knew at least one bit of truth: the crumbs from God's table are a feast for the hungry. Her daughter didn't need a whole loaf of bread, she didn't need a glass of wine, and she didn't need a place of honor at the table. A crumb from God is enough.
In the same way, we advocates must trust that every step of progress that we make is a crumb of God. We already have his love, we have the love of his son, and we have the prophetic power of the spirit working among us. We're doing pretty well. As we argue for change, as we slowly gain acceptance, first in this church and then in that one, as individuals' minds are changed, we have to see these crumbs for what they are: more than we can ever need.
And so I ask you to advocate with me, using this clever, strong, faithful woman as our guide. Even if you don't agree with all my conclusions, surely we can agree that the way LGBT people are so often treated in our churches is wrong. Educate with me. Talk with those who idolize the masculine. Talk with those who think the white suburban family with 2.5 kids and a minivan is the familial model found in Scripture. Ask your Elders to have another look at the Scriptures with an open heart and mind. Do the same yourself. Point out evidence indicating that homosexuality may not be a chosen trait. Vote against those who demonize us for political gain. If a student is outed at your Christian school, stand by her, even if you are a professor and it may cost you your job and even if you are a student and it may cost you your scholarship.
Men, you have a special duty to us because you are so often the only ones who can be heard from the pulpit or in the classroom. You are the group that has the most privilege and power in our denomination. You are also the demographic group that most strongly opposes and demeans us, the group that is disgusted by gay men and turned on by gay women. A white, straight, male voice for change could accomplish much. Your lesbian sisters and gay brothers need advocates, and you have a duty to us as members of Christ's body.
This is one of my new favorite stories in the Bible. It was only recently that it finally made sense to me, and I want to make a few observations about it. I don't claim that I'm saying anything new or mind-blowing, and much of what I'm saying is adapted from the writings of others, but here are a few thoughts:
The Canaanite woman was an advocate: This is important to remember. This woman was begging, not for herself, but for her daughter. She knows that Jesus can save her daughter, so she goes to him.
In the same way, we should advocate for others. Too often, I argue for inclusion of lesbians and gays in the church for the wrong reasons. I want my rights, and I want them now. That is not the road we should travel. I should become an advocate for gays and lesbians because they are spit on, cast out, and called names. I should be working for the sake of the little girl whose parents send her to shock therapy, and for the little boy who is beaten to a pulp at church camp because he has a lisp.
Likewise, I challenge you, Christian, to be our advocate. So often, I feel as though I am struggling alone. I need preachers, teachers, elders, fathers, mothers, and single straight people on my side. You don't have to believe that the so-called "gay lifestyle" is acceptable to God. As a Christian, though, you should believe that it is wrong to demonize, to judge, to trample, and to condemn. You should speak up when you hear the word "dyke." You should step in when you hear someone called a "sissy" or a "pansy." You should shout and scream and yell when rumors circulate about someone's "tendencies." We need you, and you have a responsibility to us as your sisters and brothers in Christ. It is our job, mine and yours, to advocate for the eradication of homophobia and bigotry in our fellowship.
The Canaanite woman was persistent: She didn't give up. She followed behind Jesus and his disciples crying and begging for help. The reason: she knew the stakes (her daughter's life), and she knew that help could be found (she had faith in the power of Christ).
In the same way, we advocates for change should be encouraged to keep working and to never give up. Keep crying out, because (1) the stakes are high and (2) change is possible. The stakes are high because people's lives are in the balance. And I believe that change is possible because I have faith that, with time, with effort, and with the help of the hand of God, we can convince people in Churches of Christ that gay men are more than AIDS storage facilities and that lesbians are more than butch women who just need some makeup and the right man.
We (all of us, even you) must argue for tolerance, acceptance, and eventual affirmation, and we must not give up.
Jesus is transformed as a result of this woman's advocacy: I think it is difficult to underestimate the implications of this point. Some state that Jesus was just trying to make a point. They argue that he always planned to help the Canaanite woman and that he was just trying to teach the disciples a lesson.
I see no reason to think that was the case. If it were, why go to the lengths of referring to the Canaanite woman as a dog? I, like many others, believe that this WOMAN, through the power of her weakness and the strength of her faith, changed Jesus' mind.
Advocacy can change people. It can make people think what they never thought they would, and it can encourage them to act in ways we never thought imaginable. But, to accomplish change, we have to advocate in the right way. When Jesus referred to the woman as a dog, she did not respond by calling him a pig, a fascist, or a bigot. That would be the easy response, as those who have ever been called a "faggot" can probably attest. When someone calls you a name, you want to strike back, whether with your fists or your tongue.
But when you are an advocate, you must remember the goal at hand: save your daughter's life (or, show the lesbians and gays in your fellowship that they are loved by God). Striking back at Jesus could have meant her daughter's death, so the quick, bright woman responds, "even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their owners' table." Though it nearly kills us to swallow our pride, we might have to say "even a faggot deserves better than to be abandoned by his family," or "even a sissy deserves to be protected from abuse." Serving the person for whom we advocate is more important than protecting our feelings.
Her self-effacing, humble, faithful response astounds Jesus. He praises her faith and instantly heals her daughter. She may not have won the game, she may have been forced to swallow her pride, but her daughter survived. May we be so faithful and so successful.
We should be advocates, not just in front our fellow man, but in front of God himself: Jesus was a man, but he was also God. We should be advocates in front of God for change, for acceptance, and for progress.
And, for those of you who believe that gays and lesbians cannot enter the kingdom, I ask you to be an advocate in this respect: ask God to change his mind. There's nothing in the rules against that, is there? Ask God to welcome all into his kingdom, regardless of sex, sexuality, sin, etc. Beg. Plead. Like Abraham plead for Sodom. It may not work, but, then again, it may. If you really believe that I am wrong, ask God to change his mind.
And finally, we should remember that even the crumbs are enough: The woman was able to say what she said ("even the dogs eat the crumbs") because she knew at least one bit of truth: the crumbs from God's table are a feast for the hungry. Her daughter didn't need a whole loaf of bread, she didn't need a glass of wine, and she didn't need a place of honor at the table. A crumb from God is enough.
In the same way, we advocates must trust that every step of progress that we make is a crumb of God. We already have his love, we have the love of his son, and we have the prophetic power of the spirit working among us. We're doing pretty well. As we argue for change, as we slowly gain acceptance, first in this church and then in that one, as individuals' minds are changed, we have to see these crumbs for what they are: more than we can ever need.
And so I ask you to advocate with me, using this clever, strong, faithful woman as our guide. Even if you don't agree with all my conclusions, surely we can agree that the way LGBT people are so often treated in our churches is wrong. Educate with me. Talk with those who idolize the masculine. Talk with those who think the white suburban family with 2.5 kids and a minivan is the familial model found in Scripture. Ask your Elders to have another look at the Scriptures with an open heart and mind. Do the same yourself. Point out evidence indicating that homosexuality may not be a chosen trait. Vote against those who demonize us for political gain. If a student is outed at your Christian school, stand by her, even if you are a professor and it may cost you your job and even if you are a student and it may cost you your scholarship.
Men, you have a special duty to us because you are so often the only ones who can be heard from the pulpit or in the classroom. You are the group that has the most privilege and power in our denomination. You are also the demographic group that most strongly opposes and demeans us, the group that is disgusted by gay men and turned on by gay women. A white, straight, male voice for change could accomplish much. Your lesbian sisters and gay brothers need advocates, and you have a duty to us as members of Christ's body.
posted by GR at 8/22/2005 11:03:00 AM
5 Comments:
GR,
I have been reading your blog over the past few weeks with great interest. I have given these topics much thought, but seem in comparison to you to have so little to add, and therefore, I have not written much to this point. Here's my background: I was born and raised in the Church of Christ, and I am a priveleged straight white male. I am also a close accepting friend to several LGBT and for the most part a devoted memebr of the Church of Christ. Enough with the "I's" as this is not about me. You gave a "call" to be an advocate for the cast outs and the trodden upon. Unfortunately, as all LGBT know too well, in most areas of our society the LGBT community is exactly that. (Relying upon friend's stories) Being LGBT is not an easy life. It is often one of secrets, mistrust, confusion, prejudice, hatred, and we could go on. Calling upon the great movie, Dead Poet's Society, more and more priveleged among us need to stand up on their chairs and defy, defend, those who society for whatever reason give second class citizenship to. We need to be willing to give of ourselves for others. We need to live our lives as Jesus taught us with love, grace, tolerance, and sacrifice putting that before law, doctrine, judgement, and hatred. And we need to have trust that God is the loving God that I have known and find hope in that knowledge that the last shall be first. I say this only to be one more voice in the struggle for equality and loving acceptness for all people who have that second class citizenship. Maybe as the multitudes grow the volume will become deafening?
Thanks for the point about the Canaanite woman's advocacy on behalf of her daughter. I think that is very significant--but somehow, not something that got highlighted in the course of drafting the sermon. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I am located in the story as one of the clueless disciples--the lucky, unchallenged group that follows Jesus as if it were an unquestioned "right" of theirs to do so. I haven't experienced it from the woman's point of view, not really. Thanks for the insight.
Thanks for these challenging words. I needed to hear them.
"even a faggot deserves better than to be abandoned by his family," or "even a sissy deserves to be protected from abuse."
This is a fair and challenging analogy to Jesus' words. I don't agree with all you say, but I think you are right about this. Let's keep the conversation going.
GR,
This is a wonderful post. I aspire to live and operate in just the way you describe here....in Christlike devotion to others regardless of our differences. If you don't mind, I may reference your post on my site...I think the 3 people who actually read my blog might gain from this as well. :)
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