She doesn’t have a prayer. Some dismiss her as “simply” a widow. Without family to care for her in customary ways, she doesn’t seem to matter or to fit anywhere. She finds herself involved being denied justice. Having no one to go for her, she takes up her own case. The judge perceives her as nothing more than an embarrassing nuisance because she keeps coming back, demanding justice. His decision to grant justice does not come from righteousness of heart; he simply wants to get rid of her incessant clamoring.
We might conclude from this story that persistent prayer wears God down until God grants our wishes. But that would be an inaccurate interpretation. Jesus actually juxtaposes God to the unjust judge. If the “unjust judge” offers justice, how much more will a caring God offer to those God loves? God does not demean and label us as “simply” this or that, nor is God a genie in a bottle who grants wishes.
Jesus calls us to perseverance in prayer not to wear God down but to build us up. We pray in order to strengthen our faith and our relationship with God. We pray for God’s intercession in situations of injustice, even as God moves us to speak up and take action for justice and for those without advocates.
Prayer changes us just as it changes situations. So we pray like this widow approached her unjust situation: without discouragement, without losing heart. We, like the disciples, must answer Jesus’ question: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” Through our perseverance in prayer, God moves in us and for us. And while it may seem delayed, in God’s time our help will come and God’s justice will prevail!