Most people have a can of WD-40 around the house but few know how the popular all-purpose lubricant was invented. In 1953, the Rocket Chemical Company set out to create a line of rust-prevention solvents for use in the aerospace industry. The “WD” stands for “water displacement” and “40” refers to the number of times chemists attempted to develop an effective formula. They failed 39 times but refused to give up. Their persistence proves the value of the refrain, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
In Mark 7, we meet a woman who was relentless in her pursuit of the Lord.
Jesus left Galilee and headed northwest to the coastal city of Tyre (Mark 7:24). Though He preferred to remain incognito, His reputation preceded Him and it wasn’t long before people came seeking an audience with the Savior. Mark writes,
In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. (7:25-26)
It would not have been customary for a woman to approach a strange man in this ancient culture. Moreover, it would not have been appropriate for a Gentile to talk with a Jew. But the mother broke through the cultural boundaries and begged Jesus to rescue her daughter. We can appreciate the spiritual discernment of this woman who could see beyond the terrible actions or attitudes of her child to a deeper, more significant problem. The girl wasn’t disobedient; she was demon-possessed. So, her mother turned to Jesus.
Jesus’ reply is unexpected: “First let the children eat all they want…for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs” (7:27). On its face, the response appears terribly un-sympathetic, if not racist. It helps the reader to know that the Greek word “doggies” is more affectionate that the text implies. And Jesus was explaining that He was the “Bread of Life” given to God’s children, the Jews, who would later have responsibility to bless the Gentiles who live nearby (see Romans 1:16). He had a missional priority.
But the mother was unsatisfied by the metaphor. “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs” (7:28).
She refused to take no for an answer.
She was hungry enough for herself and her kid that she was willing to take any crumbs Jesus would throw her way. She was fighting, not against God, but for more of God.
She reminds us of Jacob wrestling with the Lord in Genesis 32. Though crippled in the match, he refused to give up until he was divinely blessed. The Gentile woman pushed back, and her persistence paid off. Jesus responded, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter” (7:29). Her courageous, relentless faith brought spiritual blessing to another.
NEVER GIVE UP
God honors such spiritual tenacity. And there are several dimensions of our spiritual life where it pays to never give up.
Prayer. In Luke 18, “Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” A poor widow knocked on the door of the town judge to get a protective order against someone who was bothering her. Initially, the judge refused but eventually answered the woman’s request. The parable encourages God’s people to never give up in prayer. Prayer reveals our hopeful priorities and our humble dependency. So, if something is worth praying about, it’s worth praying about repeatedly. We’ll never wear God out with our asking. And, who knows what we might miss out on because we stopped short on faith. Billy Graham said, “Heaven is filled with answers to prayers for which no one bothered to ask.” So, keep praying.
Evangelism. In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul explains the beauty of the New Covenant and the promise of glory. Then he states, “Since we have this hope, we are very bold” (v. 12). The “boldness” Paul refers to is his tireless presentation of the Gospel to everyone he met. We see a similar determination in Peter and John who were commanded not to share Jesus under penalty of arrest. They responded, “we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). The disciples knew that the Gospel must be presented for people to be saved and that many people need to hear the Gospel several times—some surveys say at least 18 times—before they come to faith. You never know when you might be the 19th person to talk to your neighbor about Jesus. So, don’t give up!
Forgiveness. The moment we sin, we can turn to God for forgiveness (1 John 1:9). But there is often a voice in our head that says, “Not today. You’ve blown it again. You crossed the line. God only forgives those who really mean it.” That’s not the voice of God but the taunt of the devil, our accuser (Revelation 12:10). When he puts his hand up to stop us from confessing, refuse to take no for an answer. You can come confidently to God’s throne of grace to receive mercy over and over and over again (Hebrews 4:16). And, because God is limitless in His forgiveness of you, you can refuse to give up on others.
Jesus honored the tenacious faith of the Gentile woman. And God honors your faith as well. Sometimes, the answer doesn’t come immediately because God is giving us opportunity to exercise that vital muscle in our walk with Him. So, keep trusting. Stay hungry, even for the crumbs. And be sure that, in time, your persistence will pay off.
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See also the “Refusing to Take No for an Answer” sermon from the “King Jesus” sermon series about the Gospel of Mark.