1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” — Luke 18:1-8
What do you do when you encounter a roadblock or obstacle? How do you handle a really difficult challenge?
I love how Luke introduces the parable of the persistent widow: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Jesus understood a few facts about human nature:
- Rather than tackle a challenge, many people will give up.
- Generally speaking, people prefer the easy route.
- Others will plough ahead in their own strength, trying to manage the difficulty on their own.
None of those reflect the proper response for a follower of Jesus.
Instead of giving up or going it alone, we are to pray. And then pray some more. In fact, prayer ought to be our first instinct when encountering a challenge.
God is listening and wants to help.
All we have to do is ask.