Matthew 15-17

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”

The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. (Matthew 15:21-28)

This is a difficult story to process, but here is my thought for today: Jesus thought his mission was to marginalized Jews, "the lost sheep of Israel," but he learns a new thought through the faith of the Canaanite woman. From this point forward Jesus understands that his mission is not only to marginalized Jews, but also to gentiles, that is, non-Jewish persons.

Jesus is the incarnation of God, but he doesn't know everything there is to know. He is teachable. He learns. He knows more about himself and more about his mission after he encounters this persistent "foreign" woman.