Mark 7:24-37 (NRSV)
Read Mark 7:24-37 on biblegateway.com
Verse 31Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.
Verse 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him.
Verse 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.
Verse 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."
Verse 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
Verse 36Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.
Verse 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
Devotion
Moxie. The Merriam Webster online dictionary defines moxie as: energy, pep, courage, determination. Moxie is the word that comes to mind when I think of the Syrophoenician woman. As a woman and a foreigner she had to have some serious moxie to go up to Jesus and argue him into healing her daughter.
Why he argued with her is a bit of a mystery to me. Was he testing her? If it was a test, she passed the test with flying colors. She was clever, creative and courageous for the sake of her daughter and it worked.
What an interesting way to look at our vocational call to be Christians in the world. We are the ones who are called, in spite of our lack of qualifications, to be clever, creative and courageous for the sake of others. We are called and empowered to have moxie.
Prayer
Gracious God, let me be like that Syrophoenician woman today. Amid my daily activities and responsibilities, amid the stress of life, give me moxie so that, on your behalf, I can be clever, creative and courageous today. Amen.