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Elevation theory

Mark 7:24-30 Common English Bible (CEB)

Jesus left that place and went into the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know that he had entered a house, but he couldn’t hide. In fact, a woman whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard about him right away. She came and fell at his feet. The woman was Greek, Syrophoenician by birth. She begged Jesus to throw the demon out of her daughter. He responded, “The children have to be fed first. It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” But she answered, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

“Good answer!” he said. “Go on home. The demon has already left your daughter.” When she returned to her house, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

This is one of the Jesus stories that makes people cringe. It makes me cringe. Did he just say that??? Was Jesus rude? Did Jesus just call her a dog — or worse?? Was Jesus showing off?

It makes us question our paradigm of the loving, caring Jesus. But if it makes us uncomfortable, that means we should probably explore it!

Something interesting to consider about the time in which this story takes place is that religious leaders and scholars would engage in public debate often. The person who conceded in the debate (who eventually said, "okay you’re right”), would take a hit to their social standing and the “winner” of the debate would have their status elevated. Depending on the status of the person you were debating, being conceded to (winning!) could make a big difference in your life and social standing.

The fact that Jesus engaged in debate with this woman, someone without ANY power or social standing at the time, elevated her status and potentially helped her gain a modicum of much needed power. Jesus conceding to her likely did even more for her than just heal her daughter.

This unnamed woman was brave to ask for help in the first place. She lived in a time when she didn’t have basic human rights and could be severely punished for being female, for being “other” and for speaking to Jesus. Then she had the confidence to question the answer that she was given because she knew it wasn’t right — it wasn’t just. But the love for her daughter, her faith in who Jesus was, her strength and intelligence helped her to ask for the help she needed. And she got it!

It makes me wonder, what am I not asking for in my life because I am afraid I don’t deserve it? What am I not asking for from me, even? Also, in our current season of heated debating, in what ways am I taking opportunities to elevate those around me? How am I lifting others up? What if our goal while we argue about tennis shoes is to help elevate the person we disagree with? How would that change our approach to the conversation?

I don’t know if I will ever be really comfortable with this scripture, but that’s okay. I’ll keep working through it to see what messages and lessons God has for me, because we rarely grow without a little discomfort.

Emily Nelson Dixon
Director of Teen Ministries and Outreach

Tags: Weekly Word