A Plaintive Cry

Have mercy on me, oh Lord, thou Son of David came the anguished cry of a frantic Mother. Jesus answered not a word. His disciples sought to send the woman away. Who was his Sidonian that cried after their Master? My daughter is grievously vexed with a spirit. (With a heart deep in pain, she sought Jesus’ help.)

To which Jesus replied I can’t take that which is due to the children (Hebrews) and cast it away as if to dogs. What a reply to a mother whose love is fighting for her child.

Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs from their master’s tables. With these words the woman invoked the Savior’s response. I have not seen so great of faith in all Israel. Her faith captured the Savior’s attention with a response from Him which enabled the unseen child of a desperate mother to be healed and delivered. Although He risked being criticized as he helped this idol worshipping Sidonian woman, Jesus acted in love.

Whose plaintive cry did you ignore? Was it the one who cried for your love yet deemed unworthy to receive it? What about the one without your social acceptance whose worthiness was judged and found lacking. Forget self’s desire to withhold that which is valuable from anyone then their mournful cry is heard. Allow love to abound in your heart toward all men. Especially those in society’s eyesight marginalized. Those whose cries fall on deaf ears.

Unfortunately, a segment of humanity has deemed whose sorrowful cry is worthy to be heard or worthy of response.

Does humanity have the right to determine who’s lovable and who isn’t?

There is only one righteous judge, Christ Jesus Who died for all men.

The very ones who gambled for his robe, scourged, and crucified Him, were recipients of his love. Father forgive them. They know not what they do. This was the plaintive cry from the Savior as He hung on the cross. Allow Him who gave His life judge the worthiness of those to receive.  

Look back on those times of your mournful cry, your rejection, your exclusion. When your sounds of sorrow were not acknowledged. In fact, you were judged unfit to receive comfort by the one who withheld it. Perhaps, the pain feels as fresh today as the day it happened? To forget your experience is to refuse to acknowledge the pain of someone else.  How soon one forgets.

Is there anyone deserving of your comfort? Yes. Then allow love to have her perfect work. No. Then allow the love of God to have its perfect work in you. What does it matter? Either way consolation is received. We must learn to love as God loved us when we were wretched. Learn to hear the distressful cries of others as God heard our plaintive cries.

Turn not a deaf ear to cries of sorrow. The plaintive cry you hear is one of desperation. Be an instrument of comfort. By doing so, you put love in action.