Persistence, Pride, and Humble Trust

Luke 18:1-17

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"

6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus Blesses Little Children

(15 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Here Jesus taught us through two parables and a life example about persistence, pride, and humble trust in Him and His word.  The parable about persistence in prayer was how a widow pressed a judge for justice until he gave in and granted the ruling.  This story was given to teach us all to pray and not give up by losing heart in thinking we will never see an answer to our prayers for relief.  We often do give up praying if we do not see immediate results, imagining we do not have enough faith or did not pray with enough effort.  Jesus told us to keep praying and not allow these feelings to stop our trust in God’s work according to His will (John 14:14, 1 John 5:14) until we see an answer.  We might pray for just one day or for many years, but if we trust Him and know what we ask is just and right in God’s eyes we will persist in this.  There is a war, however, not to ask just to get an answer from persistence without faith in action which is obedience in the Lord as He told us, “when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”  This means we pray in faith and walk in it as well for God to supply our needs as we submit to His sovereign authority.  He is a just Judge and faithful to hear us when we pray in persistence and sincerity.  The second parable gave us the example of the pride of the religious Pharisee contrasted with the humility of a tax collector who realized his unworthiness because he was a sinner and confessed that openly as the Pharisee did not with his demands when praying.  The proud man thought himself worthy because he was so much better than others as he did good works to earn God’s favor (as he imagined).  On the other hand, the man who recognized and confessed his sinfulness could not look up to God to justify himself as he acknowledged he was incapable of righteousness in word or thought or deed.  He merely cried for mercy because grace alone could satisfy a lost man, just as we confess our inability to earn (Romans 3:23, 6:23) the righteousness found only in Christ and His righteousness (Romans 3:22, 5:17, 21, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Philippians 3:9).  His cry is ours also which says, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!”  If we humble ourselves (James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5-6) in this realization we will be lifted up by the Lord to be made important and justified in Christ alone and not in or of ourselves.  Jesus ended these two parables with the illustration of little children who came to Him and were not refused because they came in true faith which looks to and trusts Him completely for answers to inward prayers of their deepest needs.  May we be like them in humble trust in our prayers.