The story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 is a reminder to us all about having a faith that is persistent. But persistence is only a piece of the puzzle; another major part is the revelation that we don’t have the corner on the Jesus market. None of us holds all the truth when it comes to God and faith. I had a professor that said we cannot hold the truth about God, but we can be held by God’s truth. The difference is that we are not filled with answers about God, but rather questions. And that is not a bad thing. For a faith that is seeking answers is an active faith, a growing faith, a faith that looks beyond the surface and goes deeper into the relationship with Jesus. By seeking where Christ is active in our world, we find that God’s love is just a little bigger than we realized.  As we grow deeper in this walk with Christ, we discover that God’s grace reaches beyond our expectations into places that even we might think it shouldn’t go. God’s mercy is poured out on all peoples and God’s salvation is held out to those that we might deem unacceptable. I think at the heart of the Gospel is the fact that, yes, Jesus would have come and died even if I were the only sinner. But I’m not. Jesus came to save all the lost, from every corner of the world and every walk of life. We cannot single out any one person or any one group that is beyond the salvation and love of God. So how do we stop treating people like they are? Perhaps we need to remember that scripture tells us that we have received this gift not because of what we have done or not done, but rather because of God’s generosity. I wonder if that is a good place to start when we feel like judging another. Like MJ said, “I’m Starting With the Man in the Mirror”.  Have a great week!