A Persistent Widow

by: Lou Lotz

At the end of the day a plucky, energetic salesman was finally admitted to see the boss, and he proceeded to make a big sale. “Consider yourself lucky,” said the boss. “Do you know I’ve refused to see six salesmen today?” With tireless enthusiasm the salesman smiled and said: “I know! I’m them!” Persistent people have a way of getting what they want.

Like the Parable of the Midnight Friend (Luke 11:5-13), this is a parable about persistent prayer. The poor widow is relentless. She won’t give up. She henpecks the judge into surrender. Finally he says, “Because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice.” There is power in persistence.

Why does God require such persistence of us? Is God overworked? Understaffed? Hard of hearing? Insensitive to our needs? Why must we keep asking, over and over again?

Perhaps we do not really know what we want. When needy people came crying to Jesus, he often asked them: What do you want? It’s not always easy to clarify and articulate what you want. When I listen to my own prayers, I am surprised, sometimes, at how diffuse and unfocused they are.

But as we relentlessly persist in prayer, asking again and again, our desires become intensified, simplified, clarified. And finally comes that moment when all the votes we cast begin to say the same thing. To that one focused commitment, God responds.