Today’s parable is one of the most important in the collection of Jesus’ allegories because it prepares the disciples for their future without Jesus. The Messiah knew how each disciple would face unsympathetic judges, biased trials, and brutal executions, and His aim was to imprint truths about resiliency in prayer and justice in their minds and hearts.

The parable of the persistent widow comes on the heels of Jesus’ final tour in three provinces: Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. Some 3,125 miles and 3.5 years later, Jesus and The Twelve have ministered and performed miracles in key locations such as Cana, Bethany, Capernaum, the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, Samaria, and Bethlehem. Now, they slowly made their way to Jerusalem where his prophetic death, spoken of in the previous chapter, is played out.

While Jesus spent countless hours meeting the emotional and physical needs of others, in today’s reading He zones in on the disciples to prepare them for the hardship before them. Life without Jesus wouldn’t be easy. The key takeaway from the parable is that God’s chosen people are minorities who will experience world injustice, and we must be resilient in prayer, knowing our heavenly judge will bring perfect justice (Luke 18:1).

The main character is a widow. In Biblical times, widows were vulnerable members of the community. Because widows were often the target of fraud and oppression, she would have relied on male relatives for protection, provision, and advocacy in legal matters. However, her status of “other” did not stop her in her pursuit of justice. She repeatedly stood before an unjust judge with her petition and did not accept no for an answer (Luke 18:3). Mosaic law gave widows protection against abuse and neglect in judicial procedures (Exodus 23:20-23; Deuteronomy 27:19; Isaiah 1:17). Eventually, the judge gave in to her plea. He knew she would continue to come back, and there would be consequences if he didn’t respond to her demands for justice (Luke 18:3-4).

God’s people may have experienced similar injustice or no justice at all. The latest news events have spotlighted racial tension and dysfunction between citizens, law enforcement, and the justice system. We have seen justice delayed and justice denied. Just as the widow, despite her minority status, pushed against the walls of an imperfect justice system that kept her marginalized, we too can be ambassadors of persistent prayer and justice seekers through earthly and Heavenly channels. The widow’s resilience and tenacity illustrate our need to go before God, who fights for justice on our behalf.

Pray/Persist
Until
Something
Happens

Do. Not. Give. Up. Even when the circumstances around you tell you that giving up is the most logical decision, you should push even further with prayer.

God’s silence doesn’t mean He’s absent. God’s delay does not mean denial. Recall the time between the Old Testament and New Testament was over 400 years of silence from God. He was working behind the scenes, positioning people, and controlling outcomes to ensure the birth of Jesus. Likewise, our Sovereign God may be orchestrating in the unseen to ensure you receive His best yes, an outcome that is not only for your good but also works in harmony with His will.

The final two verses in the parable create a drop-the-mic moment when Jesus 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” (Luke 18: 7-8). In translation: if an earthly judge will make a move with a little persistence from a widow, surely our Heavenly Father will move even more expeditiously to give us justice. Here’s the caveat: justice may or may not come in our lifetime, but we are guaranteed justice will be delivered in eternity. In the meantime, PUSH.

Reflection:

• How can you maintain your persistence and resiliency in the middle of a delayed answer from God?
• Write a prayer to God in the form of a letter and pin it to the cross this Sunday. Your next step is simply to be still and wait for God to move.
• Prayer: Father, help me be still when I need to wait on You and give me strength to get up and move when you are calling me to action. I trust that my life is under Your Sovereignty, and there’s no one better to manage outcomes. In Jesus’ name, I submit this prayer. Amen.

Family Application: Luke 18:1-8

Today, we are looking at the Parable of the Persistent Widow. The lesson of this parable is that we should always pray and never give up. Jesus tells of a wicked judge who finally caves to the persistent nagging of a widow. He isn’t drawing a direct parallel, He’s portraying God. The judge doesn’t fear God or man, so if he relents and hears the widow’s cry, how much more would a loving Father hear and respond to the cries of His kids?

• This passage tells us to be consistent, praying for the big, small, and medium things in life and never giving up because He hears us. What is one thing that you have given up praying about and why?
• Prayer: I pray that no matter how big or small my prayers are, Lord, that I know You hear every word. I pray that I do not lose faith in You if a prayer doesn’t get answered right away. Lord, I pray that everything will work in Your time and not mine. Amen.