When I first moved to New York City I was intrigued by the meticulous way owners cared for their dogs. I remember walking down 5th Avenue in the snow and watching the dogs that came out for their walks.

These dogs were perfectly manicured, not a single blemish, even though the sidewalks were lined with hills of dirty snow and muddy puddles. The dogs wore shoes to protect their feet and fur coats to keep warm. I imagined that these dogs probably played a cherished role in their families, they probably had their own crystal dish to eat their gourmet meals, a crystal goblet out of which to drink their filtered water, and a place at the table along with other members of the family.

This experience caused me to think differently about the story of the woman of Canaan told in Matthew 15:22-28. To recap the story – this woman cried after Jesus to heal her daughter who was “vexed with a devil”. Jesus responded to this woman that he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, a community that she did belong to.