Most of us have experienced a teacher, boss, or other authority figure who showed more interest in one of our peers than in us. Playing favorites is an all-too-common trait. That's why it’s hard to understand that we are all equally precious in God’s sight.
The ruler in Matthew’s story, a “somebody,” sought a miracle from Jesus on behalf of his young daughter. The other unnamed female in desperate circumstances was a “nobody,” with no one to champion her cause. Worse, according to Levitical law, she was a social outcast—unclean. After twelve heartbreaking years of seeking relief from a blood disease and being banned from interacting with all the people she loved, Jesus was her last hope.
Imagine the crowd’s astonishment when the Master, on his way to the VIP’s home to resolve the crisis with his daughter, stopped in His tracks to give the woman who had dared to touch Him His undivided attention. He also tenderly addressed her as daughter.
With one word, He told the watching world that this person was not someone to be shunned or rebuked. She was not an unwelcome interruption in a busy schedule. She was His daughter, and He would go no farther that day until he dealt with her need. “Take heart,” He encouraged. “Your faith has made you well.”
We may sometimes feel overlooked, a nobody in the world’s eyes. We don’t think we deserve God’s intervention. The amazing truth is that Jesus made it possible for Him to call us His child.
When we belong to the King, our powerful Father is always ready to answer our heart’s cry. There is nothing too complicated for Him. Listen as He says today, “Child, take heart.”
Deborah Meroff served as a missionary writer and photographer for thirty years. While based in London, she was privileged to visit 115 countries and publish scores of articles and a dozen books in various languages. She now resides in Maine, USA.