In His first parable about the widow and the judge, Jesus urges the disciples to pray with faith without fail. His brief story reminds us of Proverbs 30:8-9.
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
As a successful, prominent member of his community, the judge is clearly “full.” He professes no need for God. “Who is the Lord?” perfectly captures his attitude and serves as his life motto. The widow, on the other hand, has very few options available to her. She has no close relative to defend her (a goel), no income, no social standing. However, she is determined to stand up for herself and seek what is needful lest she be poor and take matters into her own hands, thus profaning the name of her God.
It’s almost as if Jesus is saying, get into the moment of your need and live with it for a while. Understand what it takes to struggle for something worthwhile, to strive for justice. God is not a genie. God is not an ATM. Stop expecting Him to grant your every whim and wish with the snap of His fingers. He has promised to deliver you. He is faithful. Pray persistently, knowing He will provide in His own time. Wait upon the Lord – He alone is sovereign!
In His second parable, Jesus singles out “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt.” These individuals, too, are “full” and deny God by failing to acknowledge their need for Him. After all, they are oh so righteous – whatever would they need God for? We may think He is speaking to the Pharisees, but He is still speaking to the disciples. He is now calling out those within His own circle who believe God owes them blessing. It’s a poignant lesson in the proper attitude for prayer.
As we listen to the Pharisee pray on the steps of the temple (out loud and in public, mind you), do we see the disciples cringe? Where did Jesus get this righteous resumé? Wasn’t it from overhearing the disciples’ many arguments about who among them was the greatest and why?
Undoubtedly, the disciples are embarrassed. Their proud accomplishments – their pedigree, tithing and fasting – sound so petty because they are. Jesus gently chides them here as if to say, “If these things sound so flimsy to your ears, how do they sound to the Sovereign God of creation?”
Comparing ourselves to others is never a good idea, Jesus warns. And when we boast in the ways we seem to outpace them, it sets us up for a long, hard fall. We seldom compare ourselves to our betters. Instead, we zero in on those who do exactly what we do but to a different degree.
When it comes to sin, Jesus warns, guilt has no degree. You must respect the fact that God is a catalyst: approach Him in humility and He will honor and exalt you. Approach Him with pride, with no need for His mercy, and you will be lost indeed. If you think you’ve encountered the Living God but come away unchanged, you never encountered Him at all.
