Normal
0
false
false
false
MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-style-parent:””;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:”Times New Roman”;
mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;}
The
current state of the global economy (or at least, the U.S. economy) and God’s
economy share one trait, we have trouble making sense of it. While I have no background in economics thus
have no suggestions for the former, Luke 18 provides more insight for me on the
latter.
In Luke
18, we see Jesus telling two parables, rebuking, calling, prophesying, and
healing. The common thread that runs
through the chapter is humility. I think the last part of v. 14 seems to sum
it up nicely:
“. . . the one who humbles himself
will be exalted.”
– Luke 18:14b (ESV)
The
widow, the tax collector, the infants and children, the poor, those who leave
their families and houses, Jesus, and the blind beggar are examples of the
above verse in action. I’m in an ongoing
journey to keep things simple, so I’ll focus on the parable of the persistent
widow first.
We have a
judge and a widow. This judge is quite a
character; he “neither feared God nor respected man.” (v. 2) He seems like a loner to me, who’s got
nothing else going for him except for his career. We have a widow who is also a loner by
chance. With her husband gone, she’s
destitute, without a voice or a means to survive.
She’s
also without an advocate, but she has no choice but to plead for justice. And “[f]or a while, he refused. . .” which
leads me to wonder how long does she beseech him? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? I imagine the judge’s reputation was well-known, but she persists
anyway.
Then, “.
. . afterward, he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she
will not beat me down by her continual coming.'” (vv. 4-5) I initially read that and think, “ah,
persistence pays off.”
Yet in
the context of the chapter, it’s more than that. Perhaps it came easy to the widow, but it
takes humility to subject yourself to constant rejection and remain
hopeful. Her humility is rewarded with
justice.
Here’s
the thought Jesus leaves with the disciples:
“. . . Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect,
who cry to him day and night? Will he
delay long over them? I tell you, he
will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
– Luke 18:6-8 (ESV)
I don’t
completely understand these verses, but I understand them better than
before. There’s nothing about the judge
that warrants any kind of faith. But our
God who loves us and loves justice – how could we not have faith in Him? Unlike
the judge, he will respond “speedily”; he may delay, but not longer than
necessary for our good.
How much
easier would it be to humble ourselves if we truly had faith that God will
exalt us – to let Him exalt Him?
“And without faith it is impossible
to please him,
for whoever would draw near to God
must believe that he exists
and that he rewards those who
earnestly seek him.”
– Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
