Luke 18:1-8, Pentecost 19C
Theme: Determination
There are people (not you of course) who get discouraged. They have worked hard to make a difference in the world. Usually, they are not wanting to achieve anything dramatic. They just want to feel a sense of accomplishment.
It could be something as straightforward as baking a birthday cake for someone they love while expecting to receive gratitude.
It could be as significant as conducting a successful surgery which allows someone to continue living a life without pain.
It could be as important as solving a country’s economic crisis resulting in saving the lives of thousands of people.
But, too often, those attempts fail, or even make things worse. It could be the cake you worked so hard on, trying to please your loved one, contained an allergen which made them sick. Perhaps the results of the surgery were not what was anticipated, and the patient became even more ill. Maybe the economist’s efforts triggered the recession he was trying to avoid.
All of us face a reality of a life which most often fails to fulfill expectations.
The author of Luke records a parable which is not often heard. There are probably reasons for its obscurity. It is about a corrupt judge who is constantly hounded by a very persistent widow.
She was seeking justice against an opponent who had wronged her. We are not told the nature of the complaint. The widow may have wanted the judge to rule against an influential member of society.
He tried to ignore her.
She persisted.
She persisted until he finally gave in.
Jesus does not tell us what the widow wanted. He does not even tell us if the judge was correct in his final ruling. We are not even informed as to whether the widow got what she wanted or continued to demand to get her way.
Was the Judge burned out? Had he lost his faith in people and God because no one seemed to be satisfied with his judgements? I’m sure his was a thankless job. The widow in her persistence seems to have just continued to remind him of his ineffectiveness.
Was Jesus implying that all judges appear insensitive and ineffective?
Is Jesus saying that the only real justice comes from God?
Is Jesus teaching us to be persistent in asking for God’s attention to our little corner of the world?
Albert Schweitzer once wrote “Do not lose heart, even if you must wait a bit before finding the right thing. Be prepared for disappointment also, but do not abandon the quest.”
The Apostle Paul writes. “Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
In other words, whether you identify with the widow or the judge, perhaps Jesus is saying “Don’t lose heart. Keep trying to seek what is right and good. In the end, God will make it right.”
Our feeble attempts to accomplish something significant are not ignored by God. We must persist to attain our goals. We must continue to keep baking those cakes, conducting those surgeries, or adjusting economic indicators.
If we strive for the goals of justice, love and compassion Jesus has set before us in his teachings, we may not fulfill our expectations, but we will develop a closer relationship with our Christ. Ultimately, we will be saved.
Worship with us in person at 10:30 AM as we will be meditating on how our persistence will help us achieve a higher goal. The service will also be streamed live on the internet -- (https://fccmaryvillemo.com) or on the church’s home Facebook page. If you missed the live stream, a recorded session is also available to view at your convenience. Want to make a comment on my blog? Click on https://fccmaryvillemosanc.wixsite.com/ftdo.