The Persistent Widow
A widow keeps asking an unjust judge for justice until he grants her request just to get rid of her. How much more will God answer those who cry out to Him!
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
He said: 'In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, "Grant me justice against my adversary."
For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, "Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!"
And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 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? 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?"'
The parable works by contrast, not comparison. If even an unjust, uncaring judge will eventually respond to persistent pleading, how much MORE will a loving, just God respond to His children?
The widow had no power, no influence, no husband to advocate for her. All she had was persistence. She kept coming. She refused to give up. And she got what she asked for.
Jesus' question at the end is haunting: 'When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?' Will He find people still praying, still trusting, still persisting?