Mark 7:28 (NLT) – She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”
When Jesus traveled into the Gentile region of Tyre, a desperate mother approached Him. Her daughter was tormented by an evil spirit, and she fell at Jesus’ feet, begging for mercy. Jesus’ response, at first, seems shocking: “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
To understand this moment, we need to know that the “children” referred to God’s covenant people—Israel—and the “dogs” was the term Jews commonly used for Gentiles, those outside the covenant. But Jesus wasn’t rejecting her. He was drawing her faith into the light—inviting her to see what even the religious leaders could not see: that God’s love was too big to be confined to one people group.
And she saw it clearly. With remarkable humility and wisdom, she answered, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”
That one sentence revealed her extraordinary understanding of God’s heart. She wasn’t offended. She wasn’t discouraged. She knew that even what fell from His table—the “scraps” of His love—carried more power and mercy than the world could ever offer.
The faith of the Syrophoenician woman shows how a humble heart recognizes the divine promises and blessings of God where others see them as ridiculous fairytales. She saw past the boundaries of religion and nationality and grasped the truth that God’s goodness overflows to everyone who believes.
“Dear woman,” He said, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” (Matthew 15:28 NLT)
The “scraps” of God are like diamonds compared to the garbage this world offers. The world flaunts its wealth, pleasure, and power—but they fade, decay, and disappoint. The smallest fragment of God’s grace, however, holds eternal value. His presence in our lives—one whisper from His Spirit, one verse of His Word, one answered prayer—is worth more than anything money could buy.
Philippians 3:8 (NLT) – “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
That’s what this woman understood. She didn’t need the whole loaf. She knew that even a crumb of His covenant love carried enough power to deliver her daughter. That’s faith—the kind that sees diamonds in the scraps, life in the leftovers, and power in what others dismiss as small.
Psalm 145:8–9 (NLT) – “The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all His creation.”
That’s the truth the Syrophoenician woman grasped long before most others did. She understood the covenant heart of God—that His love, once focused on Israel, was already spilling out to the nations.
Romans 10:12 (NLT) – “Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him.”
Ephesians 2:13 (NLT) – “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ.”
Her story points to what the cross would soon accomplish—that all who believe would be welcomed to the table, not as outsiders hoping for crumbs, but as beloved children sharing the feast.
This woman didn’t argue theology or logic. She believed in the goodness of His heart—and that kind of faith moves mountains.
God still calls us to that kind of faith: faith that looks past circumstance, faith that values His Word as treasure, faith that believes His promises even when the world calls them foolish.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT) – “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
The “scraps” of God are never meager—they are the overflow of His abundance. Every promise He makes is richer than the world’s finest treasure.
Prayer: Lord, help me never to underestimate the power of what You give. Teach me to see the diamonds in Your scraps—the blessings in what seems small—and to trust that Your covenant love will always overflow in my life. May I have the faith of that woman, who saw Your mercy clearly and believed it for herself. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
