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Universal, universal. I want what I want, and I want it now. Now, maybe those exact words weren't actually uttered by my daughters, but the sentiment came across loud and clear. And let's be honest, it's not a rare sentiment. Over time, most of us just learn how to temper that urge, or at least hide it a little better. Today's episode explores what it actually took for a young lady to get what she wanted. It required audacity, a healthy dose of persistence, and a few other key elements we're about to explore. You're listening to Universally Personal. I'm your host, Greg Allen. But before we get to today's guest, I want to say a quick thank you for all the kind comments on our last episode with Denise. We're definitely going to hear from her again soon. Honestly, if you've only listened to her episode once, do yourself a favor and listen a few more times. It is absolutely packed with insight. Which brings us back to today's story. Our guest is Seth Easter Day. Seth has been a dedicated community servant for decades, and he currently teaches high school history and government. The story he's sharing today might sound familiar at first. You may have even heard something like it before. But trust me, you have not heard it told like this. Seth channels a bit of Ted Lasso as he trips us up at the end. And while it might not be a psychological thriller, if Netflix got a hold of it, they'd probably classify it as one just because of the multi-layered plot twist ending. So turn the lights down low. And well, I shouldn't have to tell you this. Listen closely.

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She doesn't get any of this. And he says it out loud. He sets their prejudice down in the middle of the room where everybody can see it. And then he lets the woman demolish it in one sentence.

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University person.

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He doesn't wander in. He's not accidentally driving and he finds himself there and rolls up his windows. No, he does it on purpose. He goes there. The Canaanite woman from that region came out and she was crying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David. My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. She is recognizing him for who he is by his messianic title. He is the promised king. The scribes and the Pharisees, the right kind of people. It's not what they said. They're not calling him these same words. Yet a Canaanite woman knows who he is, and professionals don't. She knows who he is. She treats him with faith. The outsider sees clearly because for her, it was never theory. For her, she's thinking about her daughter who is suffering. It was never theory. This is where it gets a little bit harder. Because he didn't answer her word. He didn't say no. He didn't say wait. Nothing. He said nothing. Some of you have been living in that verse for a long time. You've prayed about your marriage, maybe about your kids, the diagnosis, your job, the addiction you struggle with, the sibling who won't speak to you, your absent father or mother. And you've gotten silence. Silence from God. I don't know if you've been here like I have, but a lot of times that's harder than a no. At least when you feel a no, you or hear it, it's an answer. But you're just not sure when it's just silence. He didn't answer her word. You didn't say no. You didn't say wait. Nothing. He said nothing. But you're just not sure when it's just silence. The silence of God is not the absence of God. He's standing right there. He has not walked away. He's not gone to another town. He's present the entire time. Standing right there. She's not being ignored. And she, with nothing to go on but a hunch about who he is, bets everything on the idea that a silent Jesus is still a good Jesus. And that is the beginning of what he will later call great faith. Answer her word. He didn't say no. He didn't say wait. Nothing. He said nothing. And she with nothing to go on but a hunch about who he is. That's everything on the idea that a silent Jesus is still a good Jesus. Silent Jesus is still a good Jesus. And here's this woman standing at the feet of Jesus, crying out for help. And here's this woman standing at the feet of Jesus, crying out for help. The woman knew exactly what that costs. She's doing it in public, she's doing it in a crowd, in a language of faith that is not hers by birth, in front of men who wish she would just go home. Imagine this. You're asking for help, and first there's silenced, and people want to send you away. And then Jesus says, I will send only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus is describing the order of his mission to the Jew first, but also to the Greek. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Jesus is describing the order of his mission. He's not saying that she's outside of it forever. She's about to prove that she understands that better than the disciples. Lord, help. She came and she knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. She's moved from shouting at a distance to kneeling in front of him. She got closer to the silence. Now look what happened to her prayer. It was like a full theological sentence. Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David. My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon. Look what happened to her prayer. She came and she knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. It's three words. Lord, help me. Hear what persistence is not. It's not wearing God down. Persistence is not about how you change God's mind. Persistence is what a person with no leverage does when she's holding on to the only one who can help. It's not a technique. It's what love looks like when it has nowhere else to go. Persistence is what a person with no leverage does. It's what love looks like when it has nowhere else to go. Finally. Here it is. Here's where it's gonna get good, right? He answered. Think on that. I'm not gonna pretend that this doesn't sting. It stings. Every honest reader of this passage has probably stopped right there and thought, wait a second, is he calling her a dog? It's not right to take the children's bride and throw it to the dogs. Jesus hands her a metaphor with a gap big enough to drive a truck through. And I think he wants her to find that gap. He's not building a wall. He's holding a door open and waiting to see whether she will walk through it. He's holding a door open and waiting to see whether she will walk through it. And I love this. Remember who's standing there and listening? These guys that 30 seconds earlier wanted her gone, probably whispering about how annoying she is, probably thinking, Jesus, don't even respond to her. Jesus takes the thing, sitting silently in their hearts. She's not one of us, she's annoying, she doesn't get any of this, and he says it out loud. He sets their prejudice down in the middle of the room where everybody can see it. And then he lets the Canaanite woman demolish it in one sentence. He sets their prejudice down in the middle of the room where everybody can see it. He sets their prejudice down in the middle of the room where everybody can see it. She says, Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table. Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the raster's table. Do you see what she does there? She doesn't argue with them. She agrees with them. She doesn't say, that's not fair, I have rights. I demand equal standing. She says, Yes, you're right. I'm not the child at the table. Fine. But the master's table is so full that it spills. And I'm not asking you to take anything away from them. I'm just asking for what falls. Here's what she's figured out: that Jesus is so generous that the overflow from his table is enough to heal her daughter. Jesus is so generous that the overflow from his table is enough to heal her daughter. She's saying, You are so abundant that your leftovers will do. She has no standing. None. Not by ethnicity, not by a covenant, that's for sure, not by gender in that culture, not by geography. Every legitimate claim you can name, she does not have. So she doesn't even try. She doesn't make a claim. She appeals to his character. And that's what humility before God is. Humility is not thinking poorly of yourself, it's not groveling. Humility is agreeing with God about your position and then absolutely refusing to let go of his goodness. It's saying, I have nothing to bring, and you have more than enough. And I'm staying right here. Humility is agreeing with God about your position, and then absolutely refusing to let go of his goodness. Great faith is not faith that argues God is wrong. Great faith is faith that argues from who God is. So Jesus answered her. Be it done for you as you desire. And her daughter was healed instantly. Healed. Instantly. The joy in that, I would have loved to have seen his face. Oh woman, great is your faith. The master's table is so full that it spills. I'm just asking for what falls, for what falls.

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Great is your faith.

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Audacity, persistence, humility, and of all things, an overflowing abundance. I've got to admit, I didn't see that coming. Seth, thank you so much for that incredibly insightful take on this story of faith, tenacity, prejudice, and ultimate abundance. Please continue to leave comments and thoughts by clicking the fan mail button. I truly want to know what you think and welcome any suggestions you might have for the show. I'm going to miss you until next week. So join me in our sign off. Be fit, stay sharp, and listen closely.