David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 7:27-28

And he said to her,“Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸ But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Sometimes I actually receive comments from blog posts. Most are very nice, complimentary, and encouraging. Once an old acquaintance reconnected with me via a comment. But yesterday’s email brought a comment that was neither encouraging or reconnecting. A person whose screen name was “Jesus” wrote, “You are a very judgmental man. You should not be a pastor.” That is unsettling; but not for the reason you might think.

My first reaction was to wonder just what I had said that would cause anyone to draw such a conclusion. My second was to share it with my wife. She told me simply to delete it, and I did. But here it is today, still crawling around in the back of my mind. What if Jesus was to say that to me – the real Jesus: Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God!?! Ugh.

I’m not certain I could defend myself against a charge of being judgmental. I am probably more guilty of that than I am aware. We’re all blind to our weaknesses to some extent, and there are times when I am compelled to make judgments. God’s word demands that. I can surely, however, consider the manner in which I bring God’s word to bear on any particular situation. So to that extent the comment might be worth embracing, at least to consider how I come off with others.

The second part, however, is more easily dismissed. If he had said, “You don’t deserve to be a pastor, I would heartily agree. I might even want to consider how I might live in a manner more worthy of my calling (cf. Ephesians 4:1). To some extent we must all embrace that call, and the reality that we don’t always walk in a manner worthy of our calling.

But look here! Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs!” I don’t think I am judgmental, but for the sake of the argument let’s just say I am; there would truly be some (other) faults that could be pointed out. Even so, I’ll take the crumbs of Jesus’ grace and mercy and enjoy them thankfully. I don’t deserve to be a pastor, but in God’s grace he has called me to this vocation. If I am able to embrace the barest of his gifts, it is only by his grace and kindness.

I wonder what others might think of joining me under the children’s table.

Mark 7:24-30

And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. ²⁵ But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. ²⁶ Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ And he said to her,“Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸ But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹ And he said to her,“For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” ³⁰ And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.