We have repeatedly said that Jesus' parables are meant to be beautifully annoying, yet this week we come to one that is specifically about annoyance. A widow who is not getting justice decides to keep pestering a judge until she gets it. Why would Jesus tell us this story? In a rare exception, we are told in advance explicitly what this parable is about: to encourage us to pray and not lose heart. But this doesn't seem like a very encouraging story. She just keeps knocking and knocking on his door. It sounds exhausting. How could this story be helpful to us, much less be good news for disheartened people? As always, there's a joy here that Jesus wants us to go away ruminating upon - how we've misunderstood the incredible gift of prayer. Let's talk about a "Hard-Knock Life" (Luke 18:1-8)
