Faith in Humility
/“And she said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
— Matthew 15:27
If you have not read “The Danger of Invisibility” as a precursor to the next 5 devotions, you can read it here. Or the first of the five here: 1) Faith in Obedience, 2) Faith in Need, 3) Faith in Desperation
Jesus was NOT nice! Let me explain.
Jesus was kind, compassionate, caring and loving, but He was not nice. Nice by definition communicates the idea of “going along to get along.” It is being polite to avoid conflict. Jesus was not that. In fact, the word nice is not used in the Bible. Rather, the active virtue of kindness is utilized.
There are numerous instance where Jesus was not nice; He didn’t go along to get along. He called people vipers, snakes, whitewashed tombs, fox, Satan, blind guides and child of Hell. Jesus said of Himself, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34)
A nice person would not say those things. Yet, it was His love and compassion that compelled Him to tell the hard truths in the hopes people would see they needed a Savior. It was to the proud, arrogant and entitled He spoke such things, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
This brings us to another nameless individual seen by God in the Bible from which we can learn much. In Matthew 15:21-28, we see a woman of Canaan following Him and crying after Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus ignores her, but she continues to call out to Him. He then explains how His mission was to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” and not to her. She worships him and pleads for help. Then Jesus says, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” (Matthew 15:26)
Wow! He just called this woman and her child a dog. Admittedly, Jesus did not use the Greek word for a dirty, unclean street dog, but rather the word that reflects more of a house pet or puppy, but He called her a dog all the same. And yes, it was a common metaphor of the time Israelites used to define those just outside of their “house” or family. Still, it was a stark statement about her place, and that she was outside the scope of ministry He was sent to accomplish. That would come later with the disciples’ ministry.
However, it is her response that leaves me speechless. She replied, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” (Matthew 15:27) That is humility! She didn’t object, or become defensive. She agreed. Called Him Lord, and had faith she was not beyond His ability to help.
I could learn much from this woman. How many times have I approached God with my objections, explanations, defensive stance—my arrogance? Here we see true humility. Nothing to offer except acceptance of who she was in the world and faith in the Lord.
And Jesus saw her and responded, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be as you desire.” (Matthew 15:28) And her daughter was healed.
One of the hardest lessons for us to learn is who we are in comparison to a perfect Lord. It is why He used harsh words for those most arrogant He met along the way. Humility is why He saw a woman outside of His immediate mission and worked in her life. Faith in humility is where His best works are done!
We are significant in God’s eyes not because of who we are or what we have done. We are significant because of who He is and what He has done. Yes, Lord, it is all about you! That is the beginning of living by faith in humility.
Know you are seen. Know you are loved. Know you are significant. Know it will be done.
© 2026 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.
