It is not a Joke

Several couples were sitting around a table and one of the men said he had a great joke. Seems there was this elderly man in Florida who decided to get him a hot sports car. He drove it off the lot and went out on the Interstate to test it out. He hit 80, 90, and was pushing 100, when he saw a Highway Patrol officer with flashing lights. The old man immediately sped up and tried to get away. 110, 120, and then he said to himself, “What am I doing? This is crazy.” So he slowed down and pulled over. The Highway Patrol officer walked up to the car. Pushed his goggles up on his helmet, and said to the old man. It is Friday afternoon. I go off duty in ten minutes. If you can give me a reason that I have not heard before as to why you were speeding, I will let you go. The old man said, Well you see, five years ago my wife ran off with a State Highway Patrol officer, and for a moment there, I thought you were bringing her back.” The Troop pulled down his goggles, turned and walked away, and said, Have a good day.

Everybody enjoyed the story, but the wife of the man who told it. So the man says, It was a joke. It was just a joke. I was not making any comment about marriage or women. It was a joke. Lighten up.

That is often how we try to take the sting out of rude or insulting remarks. It is a joke. We were just joking around. That is what Dr. William Barclay, the famous Biblical Scholar, and Dr.W.C. Allen, who wrote the scholarly International Critical Commentary on Matthew, said about Jesus harsh words to the Canaanite woman. Jesus said,"I can't take the food that was meant for the children, and throw it to the dogs." He called her a dog. Barclay and Allen both say that Jesus must have had a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eye, and a laughter in his voice.

Well, I think Jesus meant it. I think that Jesus was saying that there is a limit to God's love. He could not take the bread of life that the Jewish had been waiting for for centuries and give it to people who just came around and wanted something. Jesus says there is a limit to the grace of God. We cannot give Democracy to countries that have no preparation for it. We cannot give home ownership to homeless people and have it work out. Jesus says you cannot give the kingdom of God to people who do not know what the Kingdom is.

The woman did not seem to be insulted. She just tells Jesus that there are other people who are not the promise children who have been waiting, looking, hoping, and praying for the coming of God. Others like dogs under the table are also waiting for the blessings of God.

There is a limit to God's ability to give his love and grace. God cannot give forgiveness to anybody who does not believe he has done anything that needs forgiveness. God cannot give hope to people who think they have all that they need. God cannot give reconciliation to families that refuse to talk about the pain and suffering and conflict in their family. They would rather live with the pain than mention it and do something about it. Jesus cannot be a savior to people who do not want to be saved. Jesus was not joking when he told the woman that he could not give her the children's bread. But she amazed him with her responds and he says, "Whoa, woman is faith is great. You got what you have been hoping for, and the child was healed. God can only give us the gifts He has when we come to the place where we know we cannot give ourselves what we need.