Friday, September 29 I will refresh you.​—Matt. 11:28.

[Áine]

Friday, September 29

I will refresh you.—Matt. 11:28.

 

Jesus showed kindness by being gentle and yielding, even under difficult circumstances. (Matt. 11:29, 30) For instance, when a Phoenician woman begged him to heal her child, he declined her request at first, but when she showed great faith, he kindly healed her child. (Matt. 15:22-28) Although he was kind, Jesus was not overly sentimental. Sometimes he showed kindness by being firm with those he loved. For instance, when Peter tried to discourage Jesus from doing Jehovah’s will, Jesus rebuked him in front of the other disciples. (Mark 8:32, 33) He did this, not to humiliate Peter, but to train him and to warn the other disciples not to be presumptuous. No doubt Peter felt some embarrassment, but he benefited from the discipline. To be genuinely kind to those you love, at times you may have to speak frankly to them. When you do so, imitate Jesus by basing your counsel on principles found in God’s Word. w22.0311 ¶12-13

[LeslieDean]

I understand the principal of of tough love and I'm thinking this term is a current phrase of above text. But I still am not understanding why Jesus would first deny the woman's request. Was it because it was not his primary reason for being there. Please help me with your explanations which have never failed me.