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Mother Appreciation Week - Day 7

As we conclude looking at the story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28, you may have noticed something.  She is always referred to as woman or mother, and that is because...

Mark # 7:  They don't need a name to be great mothers.

We can gather from this story that the woman here was likely poor.  She did not come offering gifts to Jesus if he would heal her daughter, only asking him.  She also traveled out to him alone, without other family members or servants.  You do not need money or possessions to love your children, that is more determined by your actions that your assets.

She was also an outcast, being a Canaanite and a Gentile.  This mother was not the top echelon of society, she was an outsider, a lower level citizen by those standards.  But that did not determine how much she loved or cared for her daughter.  Though other members of society may not have looked highly upon her, she knew that her child did.  Mothers, the most important set of eyes that are on you are those of your children.

She does not even have a name.  Nowhere in this passage are we even given her name.  This story is even told in Mark 7 where she is only referred to as the Syrophonecian woman.  Why didn't we ever get her name, even when the story is told twice?  Maybe it's because her name is not the important part of the story and the Lord didn't want us to be distracted by a name, but rather to focus on a mother's love and faith.  If Jesus had continued to deny this mother's request, I wonder how much longer this chapter would have gotten and if she would have gotten her name mentioned because I don't think she was going to give up. 

Though this woman's name is never given, yet she was elevated among the greats by Jesus himself.  I think we all enjoy being told, "You're doing good things," or "I'm proud of you" by people that we know.  But this mother was told by Jesus himself, "Great is your faith."  How amazing is that!?  Her methods were angering those around her, the disciples, and she had left part of her family to save her daughter.  But she was not after their approval.  She only needed Jesus' approval to save her daughter.  Whose approval are we striving for?  The world or Christ's?  Do you want your name known, or are you focused on doing God's will?

This woman overcame so many barriers, challenges, and difficulties to receive a miracle saving her daughter.  And for all she did, we never found out her name.  Why?  Well I think it's because it doesn't matter what your name is, the greatest name any woman will ever be called is Mom.

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