What d we do when the plans and priorities we thought we had simply don’t apply?

James 2: 1–10, 14–17, Mark 7: 24–37

Jesus had been talking about not making judgements based on what you think you know about people. Then he travels through territory that is beyond his normal home and meets a Syrian woman whose daughter is in desperate need of new life, new possibility and hope. Jesus tells her that she’s not on his priority list. He has other more important things to pay attention to. But she doesn’t give up. And what happens? – Jesus gives this woman and her daughter what they so desperately need. Does this sound familiar at all? The thousands of people from Syria and elsewhere looking for new life, new possibility and hope are not prepared to give up. How will we respond? It’s not an easy question. Don’t for one moment think the answers to this are simple – but however we deal with that question – let it not be on the basis that responding does not fit with what we thought were our carefully worked out plans and priorities.