And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Luke 18:1-8
Have you read this parable before? It may be one many people have missed. I know I didn’t read it too often growing up. It’s a parable that cuts to the heart of the matter: faith.
The Faith of the Widow
In this parable, Jesus tells us about a widow who wants justice. The judge she’s appealing to doesn’t want to listen to her, and yet she kept bugging him to give her the justice she desired. He refused but eventually gave in to her demand.
Have you ever been as persistent as this woman? Did you ever bug your parents daily for that Christmas gift you wanted?
I’m reminded of Ralphie from A Christmas Story. That’s a favorite movie of mine around that time of year because it’s full of nostalgia and that warm “Christmas feeling”. In the movie, Ralphie constantly bugs his parents to get him a Red Ryder BB gun, but his parents always refuse him. Come Christmas Day, Ralphie opens up his presents and is seemingly disappointed when he doesn’t see the present he really wanted.
Unbeknownst to Ralphie, there was a present hiding in the corner. What do you think that was?
Ralphie got the present he had been wanting for weeks. Ralpie’s “faith” in his parents or in Santa paid off.
Jesus asks us to have this kind of faith
Jesus tells us of his second coming in the gospels and in Revelation. He asks in Luke 18:8, if he will find such faith as the widow on this earth when he returns. We, as believers, are called to have such faith and when Jesus comes again, we must find him.
But when Jesus returns, will it be in spirit or in flesh?
We must read the gospels and Revelation, understand them, and believe in the words and events when they happen (are fulfilled) according to the Bible.
I pray you can develop such a faith. I pray you can come to a true understanding of the Bible and of what God wants. If you have any questions, please send an email or comment below.
Peace.
Here’s another great post about faith. I encourage you to read it and reflect on it.
Hope and Peace for God 