She was a Syrian. That’s all the spectators could see: a Syrian—a Gentile, Syrophoenician by birth—and a woman. That meant she wasn’t supposed to be there. She didn’t belong. She didn’t fit, and everyone knew it. But what they couldn’t see—not on her skin or the features of her face, not in her style of clothing, not even in her gender—was what, in that moment, mattered most. She was a mother and her little girl was suffering. So, even though she knew she’d receive condemnation, she entered the stranger’s home looking for the one she knew had the power to help her.
Courage From the Margins
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
courage from the margins
unwavering determination
This woman’s story is not an easy one to read. She falls before Jesus and begs him to “cast the demon out of her daughter,” and just when we would expect Jesus to do what Jesus does—to heal without hesitation—he doesn’t. Instead, he looks to her and says, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” What? If we didn’t read it with our own eyes, we wouldn’t believe it. This woman is desperate. Her child is hurting, and Jesus can do something about it. But instead, he meets her distress by challenging her faith. It sounds cold to us. It sounds unfeeling. And for a lot of us, it sounds like a closed door, but Jesus had a greater purpose in mind for this woman.
when faith meets courage
The Syrophoenician woman’s faith was anything but timid. If Jesus’s words stung her we wouldn’t know it, because she answered him saying, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” She met Jesus’s boldness with boldness of her own and, in a single response, she displayed both unwavering determination and vulnerable humility. She knew she couldn’t demand anything of Jesus. She knew she was at his mercy. She knew all the social norms and hierarchies. But she also seemed to know something else that couldn’t be seen. So she didn’t let his words deter her, because she believed—and her faith became action.
Her faith believed Jesus could liberate her little girl from the unclean spirit, but her courage didn’t let anything stand in her way. This is the kind of courageous faith we’re called to live out—in our jobs, in our homes, in our conference rooms, in our classrooms. And here’s the amazing thing: when we live out our faith with courage, Jesus doesn’t disappoint us. Just as Jesus approved of this woman’s boldness, he approves of ours because ultimately, it is courageous faith that is most honorable to Jesus. It is courageous faith that believes in Jesus, even when all the odds are against us.
Watch Session One
Jesus Responds to Our Need
Daily Question
Are there places in your life where you have courage but little faith? Places where you have faith but little courage?
Comments (10)
Thank you to our study partner
Sign up for IF:Equip
Get the Daily Devotionals Emailed to You
For me I have courage to believe that God can change my circumstances. I Sometimes lack the faith of believing someone can change for the better when I don’t see progress but still believe it is possible. God’s timing is perfect even when mine is not.
Most days I have the courage to face whatever the Lord throws my way, but there are moments when it all seems too big and there is too much happening and I can’t catch my breath and in those moments my faith is shaken and it is hard to trust because all I see are the waves crashing in around me. I have faith that the Lord is going to do big things in my life but I feel like I don’t have enough courage to take that first step.
Erynn, that feeling of being unable to breathe is horrifying. My heart goes out to you dear woman. Take courage – Christ has overcome all that makes you breathless! When I’m feeling battered and bruised and scared to death – I listen to "Fear is Liar" cranked UP. Bless you!
What is left out of the explanation of this miracle is that the woman was a Samaritan – a race the Jews hated. Yet this woman still approached Jesus – she loved her daughter, as all of us love our children, and the "Mama Bear" overpowered racial hatred. Jesus, of course, did not hate her – He used her to make a point, which was that ALL are welcome to come to Him. He made this point to His disciples, of course, because as Jews they had no desire to be hear her – but He made it to us as well. This message works across time and history and space, and yet with such an important topic He brought to bear – His love has no place with hatred – this message comes out of it as well – life takes faith and courage! We know God does not hate us if we’re white or black or brown or blue – but do we have the courage to approach Him with all our needs? This second point posed above – places where you have faith but little courage – hit home with me this week. I need the courage to overcome the belief that being godly makes me an easy target for those who want to take an advantage of me. Partly it’s an irrational fear – most of the people in my life wouldn’t set out to do that intentionally – but partly it’s justified – we ARE considered easy targets from those with a "world view."
I definitely identify with having faith but little courage. I am not as bold with my faith as this woman, but certainly pray to be. The Lord calls us not to a spirit of timidity but of boldness and courage like she shows. I especially pray for the courage to be more bold with those who are unbelievers. I don’t want to hesitate at all to share my faith.
I wish I had her courage and faith, the inner strength she had to stand her ground. It’s easier to do for your child than yourself. At that time it took tremendous courage!
These are questions that are very difficult to answer. I can imagine situations in which I might face, with some degree of boldness, an authority of some type. If I believe I have a just cause or that I am right, I would proceed with courage. However, if I hadn’t submitted my proposed action to the Lord and trusted in His answer, my faith would not be strong. In those cases – and I have experienced a few – I, no doubt, didn’t want the Lord to tell me "no," so I foolishly proceeded in my own strength, to reap results that were less than satisfactory. I have learned some hard lessons in cases such as those.
I think sometimes we just move along with life without thinking we are brave or have a great deal of faith. We simply do the next thing. Then we look back and think how brave or adventurous we were–and where did we get that faith??? When we give our days to God, He begins to automatically take over…and we are surprised when we look back. That’s where we get the stories we tell about the goodness and faithfulness of God
Reconnecting with scott….closeness to Adam & family
Yes I have had courage and little faith in my marriage. My marriage dissolved.
I’ve had faith and little courage but once I set my mind of that prayer my courage built. My daughter was healed from a heart condition and that built my faith.