We have all experienced prejudice and are guilty of our own. Having lived in four countries and experienced the prejudices of each towards foreigners, I am repulsed by small-minded nationalistic chauvinism. When Jesus was on earth, the Jews had good reason for their prejudice. They were the chosen people, not by technology or conquest or wealth, but by God.

So, when Jesus met a Gentile woman, who wanted the privilege of him healing her daughter, he tested her faith, saying that he was only sent to the Jews. Jewish national exclusivism had a purpose in God's great plan up until the cross. God wanted to use the descendents of Abraham to bless the world, but people cannot handle privilege without prejudice. Quoting Jewish intolerance, Jesus said that it was not right to take food from the table that was for the children and give it to dogs. Jews referring to Gentiles as dogs was a well-known insult, a highly offensive ethnic slur.

We read the story in Matthew 15:21-28. Rather than being insulted by Jesus' apparent ethnic affront, the assertive woman reasoned with him as to why he should heal her daughter. We may sense some of the love of a mother, who would not take no for an answer. Also, like Martin Luther King, she boldly questioned social convention. Her faith was bigger than her racial sensitivities. Jesus reaction, "O woman!" indicates his elated surprise to see her faith. He immediately healed her daughter and like that of the Gentile centurion, described her faith as great. Such a glowing compliment coming on the heels of such an awful insult is the core of this lesson.

We may be tempted to conclude upon an initial reading of this passage, that Jesus was a racial bigot. This shows the importance of not judging by first impressions.  A good teacher will not always speak delicately, but often challenge students with an opposite view to bring out the best in them. Jesus, who created all of humanity is not racially bigoted. Throughout Jesus' ministry we see him ignoring Jewish ethnic purity sentiments and mixing with Gentiles as well. He was probably testing the woman to see her reaction and used this common racial slur as a tool to point out that faith, not race is what counts with God.

It is wise to get the whole story before jumping to conclusions about someone else's words. Waiting for the conclusion often shows just the opposite to be true. It is not race that counts with Jesus, but faith. He used the race card to point out that with God, faith is what really counts.