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Good morning.Ìý Persuasive stories can change societies, and persuasive, persistent people can make a huge difference. I love a good story, and I relish Jesus’ parables which, though short and to the point, are dense and packed with meaning. The parable of the persistent widow appears at first to be straightforward but it contains layers of meaning.

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The story goes that a corrupt judge is approached by a widow demanding justice against her adversary. The judge, who is described by Jesus as neither fearing God nor respecting people,Ìý dismisses the woman’s claim. Undeterred, she persists, knocking on his door until he eventually tires of her and upholds her claim. Justice is finally done. He is not a good judge, yet even he responds to persistence.

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Jesus told the story to encourage people to pray always and not to give up. Be like the widow, he said, and keep asking God for help, but understand that God is not like the corrupt judge. He will swiftly grant justice to those who ask for it.Ìý

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The story is not straightforward.Ìý It causes the hearer to contemplate why and how to pray. It begs the question of why our prayers can sometimes appear to go unanswered. It invites us to persist in the pursuit of justice, because persistence itself is a sign of faith that God will act.

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In our contemporary culture, many feel powerless, but statistics show that a surprising percentage of people turn to prayer when in need. This is a story for anyone who is tempted to give up asking God for help, or for anyone who feels disheartened at the apparent triumph of injustice.Ìý Keep going. Have faith.

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