Luke 18:1 Then Yeshua told his talmidim a parable, in order to impress on them that they must always keep praying and not lose heart. 2 “In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected other people. 3 There was also in that town a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me a judgment against the man who is trying to ruin me.’ 4 For a long time he refused; but after awhile, he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God, and I don’t respect other people; 5 but because this widow is such a nudnik, I will see to it that she gets justice — otherwise, she’ll keep coming and pestering me till she wears me out!’”
6 Then the Lord commented, “Notice what this corrupt judge says. 7 Now won’t God grant justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Is he delaying long over them? 8 I tell you that he will judge in their favor, and quickly! But when the Son of Man comes, will he find this trust on the earth at all?”
Want those shoes to go on sale?
Keep asking!
Want that new job?
Keep asking!
Want that annoying neighbor to move?
Keep asking!
We have the proof here that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Abba even loves it when you keep coming and asking, right?
(I think you realize by now, I’m setting you up.)
We need to look closely here to gain understanding as to what we should be pressing for and not just plead for our life to be more comfortable.
This widow is not petitioning the store manager for a bargain, she’s not asking her boss to fire that annoying coworker. She’s asking for judgment to come on the man trying to ruin her.
‘Give me a judgment against the man who is trying to ruin me.’
The word here for “man who is trying to ruin me” is often translated as adversary. The usage in the Greek is an adversary in the context of law. Someone you are contending with in a matter of legality. An accuser, if you will.
Peter tightens this up for us even more and blatantly says it is that troublemaker we all know so well:
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you who are less experienced, submit to leaders. Further, all of you should clothe yourselves in humility toward one another, because God opposes the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace. 6 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that at the right time he may lift you up. 7 Throw all your anxieties upon him, because he cares about you.
8 Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand against him, firm in your trust, knowing that your brothers throughout the world are going through the same kinds of suffering. 10 You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
So the pleading here is against the Adversary, Satan, who is trying to ruin this widow’s life. And it is true suffering that is happening here. Not perceived or even actual discomfort, but suffering. This is a new level of reality that speaks to something deeper.
Instead of just letting him get away with it, she keeps coming and fighting back. She knows the law is on her side and she keeps coming. Time and again, she keeps fighting back. Enduring the suffering until such a time as she is restored, established and strengthened to become firm. It seems there is a process and an end result here.
(Peter makes mention at the beginning here that he is addressing those who are less experienced. Does this mean this process applies to every believer that’s on the path of maturity? I think so.)
If even a corrupt and unbelieving judge will bend to the incessant plea of someone with a valid argument, how much more will Abba listen when you come to Him?
It’s almost like reading Job. Abba allows a period of suffering in order to get him where he needs to be. And it’s coming back time after time that shapes Job’s understanding. We are all called to be Job.
The Adversary is continually accusing, nothing new there. And the only way you are guilty is if you’ve broken the law, the Torah. If you aren’t guilty, you need to know the law, the Torah, in order to rebuke the accusations. Both of these truths are invaluable.
Justice can only come when you have taken ownership. If you are guilty, repent. If you aren’t, know the law and fight the accusation. This is a refinement process. Getting yourself to the place of justice and accountability takes time and it takes work. Returning to Abba Himself and making your claim again and again and again. This is how we grow in Torah. This is how we grow in understanding. This is how we grow in wisdom.
He hears you and He’s ecstatic everytime you show up with something new, something deeper. We struggle to do this on our own so we need some external motivation. And suffering is the greatest motivator of all.
Think about your life right now. Who’s trying to ruin you?
There is only one that’s against you in court. It isn’t the store manager or the jerk lifeguard that won’t let you cannonball in the pool.
It’s that enemy of old that seeks to ruin you.
As those thoughts of inadequacy come upon you, plead to the Judge. Go to Him again and again and ask that He send His Son as quickly as possible. Ask that He carry you through to the place of justice.
As you come back each and every time, you will have studied a bit more. You will have sought Him a bit more. You will have prayed a bit more. You get stronger and stronger and stronger. Until such a time justice comes upon you. But once it is at your doorstep, you are fine with it. You have no objections to justice in your life so that allows Him to bring justice to your Adversary. You first, then your enemy.
Oftentimes during this process, you even come to realize it is you that’s trying to ruin you. But this process still holds. Justice comes. And you get healed. But only by returning time and again.
After all of this, you will become refined. You will get the justice you deserve. And once that’s done, so will your enemy. And please don’t worry, the Son of Man will come. Just be sure you have the faith He’s expecting when He arrives.