Just go away

Do you ever really need some time away from everyone?  Do you ever get weary, short-tempered, and generally crabby?

So did Jesus.

In this week's Bible reading from Mark 7:24-37, Jesus wanted to get away from the crowds.  He really needed some "back to Jesus" time.  And even though he was looking for private time, a woman found him and asked him to heal her daughter.

Jesus' response to this woman's request was less than kind.  It was offensive.  Jesus shouldn't have said what he said. 

But he did.

He told her that her people weren't as important as the people he was here for.  He told her that her people were at best like little puppies and at worst they were simply dogs. He wanted her to just go away.

I think it would have been perfectly reasonable for the woman to respond with the cultural equivalent of a "forget you."

But she didn't.

She addressed Jesus' snark with some of her own.  It wasn't offensive, but it did point out how awful what Jesus said was.

Dogs are important too.

Jesus should have apologized.  He may have, though the Bible doesn't record it.  Jesus did do an about face, however.  He told the woman that because of what she said, he would heal her daughter.

And I am sure Jesus learned a lesson.