The Power of Persistence

There’s an old but interesting story I’d like to share with you today to help us all be sustained while life throws in our direction spears and arrows of disease, disability, defeat, and disappointment in ourselves and others.

This narrative, a New Testament parable the Rabbi Jesus used to teach his disciples the power of persistence, is found in Luke, Chapter 18, Verses 1-8. Jesus tells his followers that there was a widow who repeatedly went before a judge with her grievance. The gist of the lesson Jesus is teaching is that if a judge who didn’t fear God and wasn’t concerned about how people perceived him could be worn down by the persistent pleadings of a widow, how much more does the God who is Ultimate Justice, Ultimate Love, and Ultimate Grace hear our prayers and desire to answer them to our benefit.

Keep in mind that a widow in New Testament times, some two thousand plus years ago, was a marginalized human being. Her society expected that a close male relative would look after her and act on her behalf upon the death of her husband. The widow in our story, for whatever reasons, had no male relative to be her advocate. Yet she showed herself to be a strong relentless woman. And she was determined to get justice from her adversaries.

If you would like to read and hear The Parable of the Persistent Widow (Luke, Chapter 18, Verses 1-8) in your heart language or a language you are studying, you may go to http://Bible.com where you will find multiple languages and multiple versions of the Holy Bible.

Words of Encouragement and Spiritual Instruction
Connie Carlisle Polley, 2025
ConnieCarlislePolley.com
NonnyDay.com