The Lord Jesus had just exposed the heart of man, which, He says, was so bad that those things which come out of the heart defile the man; then He shows the heart of God in His grace to a poor Canaanite woman.
But the lesson to be learned from this case is one which each sinner needs to take deeply to heart. The lesson is-he must take his true place before God in order to get the blessing.
This woman was a Gentile and therefore outside the privileges of Israel; besides, she belonged to the accursed race of Canaan, and such ones were not to enter into the congregation of the Lord to the tenth generation. But she was in deep sorrow and need, her daughter being grievously vexed with a devil. Her need was real, her sorrow was great; but when her cry for mercy fell on the ear of the Savior, He answered her not a word.
Was He indifferent to her appeal? Had He not a heart filled with love and compassion for every needy soul? Surely He had. But she came to Him on wrong ground. She said, "Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, Thou Son of David." What had the Son of David to do with a Canaanitish woman? As Son of David, he had come to fulfill the promises to Israel, and she was outside the pale of Israel. The disciples wanted the Lord to grant her request and send her away, but He answered that He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Then we have her second appeal, "Lord, help me." Was there even a trace of hardness in His reply, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs"? Oh no; it was all designed to bring her down to take her true place as having no claim upon Him whatever. And so it is in principle with every sinner. Sometimes it requires a long process to bring us to own our utterly lost and helpless condition before God.
And now the question was, Will she be turned aside because her request is not granted at once? will she go away sorry and disappointed? No indeed; her faith rises above everything that might seem adverse in His dealings with her, and she goes right down to the bottom as to her true place and standing before Him. She gives up all claim, every bit of right to anything, and casts herself on pure grace. Was there not even a crumb for a dog like her?
And thus it was her faith that opened the door so that all the grace and love which dwelt in the heart of Jesus might flow out, and He answered, "O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." Her daughter was healed from that very hour.
So it ever is. Faith would lead the sinner to take his place as lost, and thus get the blessing on the ground of pure grace.