October 20, 2022 — Choose Your Words Carefully

From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.” Mark 7:24 – 30

“Here we see Jesus ministering to a woman and her daughter, who were from a very different background to Jesus, and who needed healing. But Jesus needed to be persuaded to help them. Jesus does not directly acknowledge the woman’s faith, but was moved by her plight. It can be easier to help those who are the same ethnicity, religion, color or gender, as us. How would I respond when confronted by a distressed person from a different background to me? Would I recognize their urgent need, Am I willing to reach across divides and boundaries, in order to seek help or to give help? Is my faith strong enough to persist, and not give up when I encounter obstacles? Am I prepared to keep fighting for what I believe in?” (SacredSpace.ie,

Mark 7:24-30)

How often we come to realize that we have used a word that has offended someone, when we did not intend it to be understood in that way. I think this happens more and more in our society where people have become “hyper-sensitive” to the use of words. Jesus did the same when he called the woman (who was a Gentile) a “dog”. The word could have been offensive to the woman, but she understood the context and the purpose of Jesus’ word choice. Her quick comeback and persistence in the face of the situation showed Jesus that the word did not matter — what mattered was her need for Jesus to heal her daughter.

As Christians we need to seek ways that we can use words that bring healing to relationships, that bridge social and racial chasms, and that build up the body of Christ.

In a society where people are always scrutinizing words, as Christians we need to be seeking the words that will build others up rather than keep them down. It is incumbent upon us every day to choose words that give life, not death.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, your words are gracious and grace-filled. Give me the words I need today to build others up. Amen.

Pastor Dave