Suggested Reading: Matthew 15:21-28

She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”—Matthew 15:27

Well said! This woman did not show fear or anxiety. She knew who she was talking to and asking a blessing from yet she did no hesitate or shy away. She had approached Jesus to secure a blessing of healing for her daughter who was being controlled by a demon. She did not even ask Christ to come to her house; just speak her daughter’s healing and it would be done. That is faith! Was she a child of God? No. She was a Canaanite and they had been warring with Israel since the time of Joshua. Yet, humbly she kneels before the Lord and said she would gladly take the crumbs that fell from the table of the Lord; the crumbs that were left after God had blessed his own.   

How gracious she was! She sets an awesome example for those who have  inherited the fullness of the Kingdom of God through faith in Christ. She must have known what we should always know and remember: even one crumb from the Lord’s table is enough to meet our need; enough to bless us, fill us, heal us,

Even if all God gave us were crumbs we would still be better off than what the world has to offer; even when it is from the world’s abundance. Even the crumbs of God would manifest healing, bring inner peace and peace of mind, provide strength of soul, confidence, hope, joy, and courage. One crumb from God’s table would bring victory and secure deliverance. One crumb from the Master’s table would feed, bless, and restore.

After Jesus had fed the multitude he had the disciples gather up the crumbs. Why? Not just because bread was a precious luxury in those days, but because the crumbs that were left from the loaves Jesus had blessed before breaking would supply a meal; would still fill empty stomachs and satisfy the hungry.

With God there is no degree of great or small, little or abundance; there is only great, abundance, overflowing, and more than enough. When God supplies from his table it is a feast not a snack. As God’s child you do not receive crumbs from your Father but the fullness of him.

Here’s something to know: the world and those who persist in living life outside of him, who do not want to be attached to the vine, receive crumbs, not because God does not love them, but because they refuse to love him back. He does not withhold from them because he is mean-spirited but because the only way we can receive God’s fullness is when we belong to him. Miraculously, even the crumbs of God that fall onto the lives of unbelieving are enough to sustain, assist, help, heal and keep them alive.

There is another way the world receives the crumbs that fall from the table of God and that is when the children of God bless them. When the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon. God told the Israelites to live their life under his blessings and provision and to pray for their captors and city. They were to live under the umbrella of God’s fullness and because they did so even their enemies would be blessed through them: they got the fullness of God and their enemies got the crumbs.

A crumb is a “small fragment, a very small amount of something.” Anything that comes directly from human hands or heart is still a crumb in comparison to what God himself can give and supply. Crumbs, not because we give stingily or reluctantly but because anything that does not come directly from God is a mere fraction of what he himself could rain down and pour out into empty lives.    

I can remember a funny story about one of our granddaughters who was about three at the time, when she was visiting. As we sat down to dinner she looked at her granddad and said, “Don’t be squenching at me granddad, I’m the one keeping you alive!” with that the entire family erupted in laughter. Who knows what a three year-old-mind was thinking at the time she said it. To this day whenever my husband looks a certain way or scrunches up his face, we will repeat those words to him.

We might be thinking the same thing when we are mistreated by the world who does not yet know they are blessed with crumbs from the Lord’s table because he is pouring our his abundance onto and over his own. It is to enjoy the fullness of God’s table and feast that we invite others to partake in; an invitation to live under his banner of blessing. The do not have to rely upon the goodness or generosity of others when God can give it to them directly himself; overflow into their life also.  

God has blessed us to be a blessing and it does not diminish our blessing, the fullness of God to share it with those around us. We can pray the crumbs that fall from God table will inspire an unbelieving world to desire to eat from the fullness of God’s table.

Lord, how blessed we are to be fed from your table of abundance. The world does not realize how much more than could be blessed if only they will receive you also. Help us to share what you send us, although it is only crumbs in comparison to what you could supply, may it bless the lives of others and at the same time inspire them to accept you as Lord and Savior also. In your name we pray, Amen    

Reflection: How does realizing God blesses you from the fullness of his table, and not from the crumbs that fall under his table encourage you?