From a Distance

Even the dogs shall be fed.

From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. - Mark 7:24-30

We've no doubt heard this story before where a woman challenges Jesus to think beyond his ministry and purpose to the greater need.

At first, he is reluctant to help, stating that he was sent for others.  But she persists and reminds him that the good he does can trickle down to help others as well.

I am reminded that when on a flight with any major airline, we are told to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first and then help the child or other person who needs help.  If we don't take care of ourselves, how can we help others?

Of course the issue is we have to want to help them. 

In this time of self-imposed isolation and fear, we may forget or set aside our desire to help those in need.  We have to take care of ourselves first.  That makes sense.  We don't want to spread harm and of course, we don't want to get sick either.

In times like these we don't think twice about sounding selfish.  And we are being told to focus on ourselves first so we don't catch and spread the virus, the invisible enemy.

So, while we are helping ourselves, we are helping others as well, even though they may have needs we are not addressing, like food and shelter.

Those things we need to figure out.  And since we have the time, we can get creative.

Maybe we can help from a distance.

More to come...