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Jesus created an embarrassing situation. He despised the woman. The situation was so awkward the disciples tried to soften it. But Jesus’ answer turned it even worse. He speaks with prejudice. He refuses to help her because she is from another nationality. He treats her lower than the people of Israel. How would you feel if you would come to pray and Jesus answered: “Now I am only answering the prayers of the Chinese people. I will not pay attention to any prayer from Brazilians, Africans, Indonesians or Macanese people.”
Jesus was provoking the pride of that woman because
that was what needed to be won. Mark says the woman was Greek, from
Syrophoenician origin. Her nationality had strong links to pride structures.
The Greeks were the cultural elite of that time. That woman was very cultured, maybe
even rich, well positioned in society, but with a demonic problem. The Greek
citizenship was a symbol of intellectual, cultural and spiritual pride. Even
today Greece is known as the “cradle of the civilization”. The whole concept of
superiority and fashion, the standard of beauty, was dictated by the Greek
philosophy.
That woman was Greek in culture and language. Jesus
wanted to touch this point because that was where the base for pride and sense
of superiority which gave a start to her problem was located. Any prejudice
reveals idolatry towards our reputation. Jesus was dealing with the complex of superiority the Greek people had
in relation to the rest of the world.
What are the things that strengthen the
structure of pride in your life? Your nationality? Your finances? Social status? Family line? Church denomination? Degrees?
Pray asking the Lord to reveal to you where pride has found dwelling places in
your life and ask God to break its hold in you.
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