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A grandmother wanted her little granddaughter to dust her furniture, but the little girl could not do it to suit her grandma even though she dusted again and again. Finally, the child looked up and said, “Grandma, that dust is not on the furniture; it’s on your glasses.” How many people look at others through dusty glasses? In Matthew 17, we see how Jesus’ disciples had dust on their glasses. They kept urging Jesus to send away a needy woman in Sidon. She was begging Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. But before Jesus healed the little girl, He challenged the woman’s faith. He told her He was sent to the Jews and ought not to give the children’s bread to the puppies. The woman revealed her deep faith when she replied, “Yes, Lord, but even puppies get leftovers.” Some think Jesus delayed to test her faith; but it could also have been to teach His disciples a lesson—that even this Gentile, this offspring of Ham, could have faith far greater than many in their own nation. Knowing this would be vital as they would later carry the Gospel to people outside of their land. God calls us to accept Him and share His love with people of all nations and ethnic groups. This involves not only our taking His message to people around the world; He wants us to accept and love people across the street, and tell them about His love and readiness to forgive.
