the failings of others readily enough but when we get a good
look at ourselves, we will get down before God as the Publican did
and cry for mercy: and that cry will bring an immediate answer. God
delights to deal in grace with the poor in spirit. He wants to see
in us a broken and contrite heart. If we take the place of a sinner,
confessing our sins and asking for mercy, the grace of God will meet
us right then and there; and we shall have the assurance of His
forgiveness.

In Matthew we see how God deals in grace with those who come in the
right spirit. "Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help
me!" But he answered and said, "It is not meet to take the
children's bread, and to cast it to dogs." And she said, "Truth,
Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's
table." Then Jesus answered and said unto her, "O woman, great is
thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was
made whole from that very hour."

The disciples did not understand how full of grace was the heart of
Christ. This poor woman belonged to the far-off coasts of Tyre and
Sidon. She was a poor Gentile, and they wanted to send her away.
They thought she was not one of the elect; she did not belong to the
house of Israel. So they said to the Master, "Send her away, for she
crieth after us." Can you conceive of the loving Saviour sending
away a poor troubled one who comes to Him? I challenge you to find a
single instance of His doing such a thing, from the beginning to the
end of His ministry. Send her away! I believe He would rather send
an angel away than a poor suppliant for His mercy; He delighted to
have such as she come to Him. But He was going to test her, as well
as to give an object-lesson to those who should come after. "It is
not meet," He said, "to take the children's bread, and to cast it to
dogs."

A HUMBLE SPIRIT.

I am afraid if some of us had been in her place we would have
answered somewhat in this fashion: "You call me a Gentile dog, do
you? I would not take anything from you now if you were to give it
to me. Why, I know a Jewish woman who lives in my town. Though she
is a daughter of Abraham she is the meanest woman in the whole
street. I would not let my dogs associate with her." If this poor
woman had replied to the Master in such a fashion, she would not
have got anything. Yet you will find a good many men who respond to
the Saviour in that way when He wants to deal in gr