PERSISTENCE AND HUMILITY

Prayer is often talked about and practiced throughout the Bible. Prayer is a discipline that is to be a part of the believer’s life. In Luke 18, Jesus is teaching the disciples about prayer. He tells them two stories in order to give insight as to how prayer should be approached. The first story is the story of a persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8). The second story is the story of two men who went to the temple to pray – one was self-righteous and the other was humble (Luke 18:9-14). Jesus is teaching that two characteristics are necessary in prayer: persistence and humility.

The first story, the story of the persistent widow, teaches us about persistence. It is a story about a lady who desperately needs justice from a local judge. The judge is a hard-hearted man and does not fear God nor respect men (2, 4). For a time this judge refuses to answer this woman. However, she persistently comes and finally he relents and gives her justice. The judges stated purpose for giving her what she wanted, “because she keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming” (v. 5).

We might ask ourselves why this woman was so persistent. The answer is simple, she had nowhere else to turn. We too have but one place to get our needs met. We must come before our Father in Heaven and ask. Why do we have to persist? Are we trying to get God to relent and give us what we want? No, God uses the process of prayer to change, shape and mold us. Our persistence serves a purpose in our lives. God will answer and meet our needs, but only when the need has served its purpose to develop our faith.

The second story teaches us about humility. It is the story of two men who went to the temple to pray; a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee prays, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector” (Luke 18:11). He goes on to enumerate all of the great things he does through fasting and tithing. The second man, the tax collector, would not even lift his eyes to heaven. He prays, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). Jesus then tells us that only one of these men is justified, the tax collector. Jesus sums up his teaching with this point, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (v. 14). The call is a call to humility in prayer.

Let us strive to incorporate both persistence and humility into our prayer life. Persistence shows that we know who our God is. Humility shows that we know who we are. Both are necessary.