The Berean – Luke 18:1-8 NKJV

  Luke 18:1-8

(1) Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, (2) saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. (3) Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ (4) And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, (5) yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'” (6) Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. (7) And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? (8) I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” 
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Luke 18:1-8 contains the Parable of the Persistent Widow. Luke prefaces Jesus’ narration of the story of the widow’s pestering of the unjust judge with the comment that our Lord gave this parable specifically to encourage people “to pray and not lose heart.” The basic subject of this passage of Scripture deals with the question: Will a person ultimately cave in, downcast and discouraged, because of the difficulties and trials he faces throughout his Christian life, forsaking all the truth and opportunities God has given him?

Christ’s parable teaches us that we are to continue to pray and not falter or become dejected if our prayers do not seem to be answered right away. We are to come to understand that if a request is not granted immediately, God may be testing us, teaching us patience, or working out a purpose we cannot see. We must understand that He works on His timetable—not ours—and that He always works out what is best for us and for our particular situation (Romans 8:28). Our job, then, is to persevere in our faith in God, always trusting Him in what we ask of Him.

In the parable, we see the widow coming before the unrighteous judge with her complaint, though Christ never informs us about its specifics. We do not need to know the details; it could be any grievance. The callous judge has no pity in him, but the widow is so persistent that the judge reasons within himself that he had better avenge her lest she wear him out with her incessant visits. The phrase “weary me” literally implies striking blows and giving the recipient a pair of black eyes! This was one persistent woman!

If a reader of this parable is not careful, he could judge God as being comparable to the unjust judge, that is, that He will not answer our requests promptly unless we bother Him with constant pleas for help. Actually, Jesusis contrasting the faithfulness of our loving God to the cynical, self-serving, unrighteous judge. The latter is not in any way a good man, but a godless one who is just trying to shield himself from being annoyed.

Jesus is trying to get us to realize God’s never-ending love and faithfulness to His children. We are to see that all that God is, the judge is not. God is always willing to hear us and to answer our prayers if according to His will. He always hears the cries of His own elect or chosen ones. Indeed, God will avenge or vindicate His people.

The point is that, if the unjust judge—who could not have cared less for the widow—at length responded to her cry merely to rid himself of her aggravating requests, then shall not God—who loves His chosen people and gave His Son for us—answer our prayers when we are under trial or in need?

— John O. Reid (1930-2016

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Progress Arizona

Dear friends, The 2021 Arizona state legislative session is FINALLY over. This was an exhausting session that felt at times like it would never end. Republicans currently hold one-seat majorities in the Arizona State House and the Arizona State Senate, and they spent months attacking our freedom to vote and our fundamental rights. They repeatedly tried to divide and distract us, while pushing through their unpopular agenda of massive tax cuts for the rich. We’ll be sharing much more in the coming weeks about what happened and how it will impact Arizonans, including our annual Progress Score legislative reportcard. For now, though, we’re grateful to all of our partners and to all the Arizonans who fought back with so much creativity, heart and commitment, successfully stopping dozens of horrible bills. That includes each of you that called your legislators, sent letters, talked to your friends and family and showed up at the Capitol. Thank you! No matter what, we will keep fighting back and building together until this is a state that truly works for all of us. With commitment, Emily KirklandExecutive Director, Progress Arizona

Kyrsten Sinema – United States Senator

Dear Mr. Hamster:

 

Thank you for contacting me about S. 492, the Ending Qualified Immunity Act. I always appreciate hearing from Arizonans about issues facing our state and country. It is important that we have conversations about topics that matter to you and your family, and I hope you will continue to reach out to me and share your perspectives and suggestions.

 

The doctrine of qualified immunity protects public officials from personal liability if they commit constitutional violations under federal law. Qualified immunity does not apply in cases when public officials violate “clearly established” law, which refers to other court cases that involved the same context and conduct as the present dispute. Qualified immunity is sometimes afforded to law enforcement officials who violate federal law in the line of duty. Law enforcement officials have invoked qualified immunity while facing accusations of illegal search and seizure, excessive use of force, perjury, or other violations.

 

George Floyd was a 46-year-old Black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020. Police were initially called to respond to accusations that Mr. Floyd used counterfeit currency to purchase cigarettes. While Mr. Floyd was handcuffed and lying on the street, one police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee into Mr. Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds as Mr. Floyd repeatedly indicated that he could not breathe. After losing consciousness on the street, Mr. Floyd was transported to a nearby hospital by emergency medical services, where he was pronounced dead. Mr. Chauvin was charged, tried, and convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter on April 20, 2021. Mr. Chauvin currently awaits sentencing.

 

After George Floyd’s death, protests and demonstrations erupted throughout Minnesota, and later spread to all 50 states, Washington, DC, and a number of nations around the globe. Protests more broadly focused on the systematic, disproportionate violence exhibited by law enforcement officers against Black Americans. As part of these sustained protests, many are calling on Congress to enact a number of policing reforms, including reforms to the doctrine of qualified immunity. 

 

Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced S. 492, the Ending Qualified Immunity Act, on March 1, 2021. The bill ends the doctrine of qualified immunity, subjecting public officials to civil liability for actions that violate the constitutional rights of others. Supporters of S.492 argue that qualified immunity shields law enforcement officers from accountability, blocksjustice for victims and their families, and freezes case law by preventing the consideration in court of any case that does not have an identical precedent, reducing the likelihood of accountability for future constitutional violations. Opponents of the legislation maintain that, without qualified immunity, law enforcement officers would be subject to frivolous and expensive lawsuits, thereby discouraging them from effectively performing their duties. S. 492 was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, where it may be considered.

 

George Floyd should be alive today. I hope the conclusion to Derek Chauvin’s trial brings some level of healing and solace to George Floyd’s loved ones as we continue working toward a future in which all Americans have equal protection under the law. Too many Americans fear that what happened to George Floyd could also happen to them. Bad police officers make it harder for good police officers to do their jobs safely. I am committed to working across the aisle with my colleagues in the United States Senate to prioritize commonsense policies that ensure all Americans feel safe in their communities and are treated equally under the law. 

 

Thank you for sharing your view on this issue with me. Please do not hesitate to contact our office with any future questions or comments. Additionally, if you would like to stay connected to our office with the latest news, legislation, and other useful information, please visit our website, sinema.senate.gov.

 

Sincerely,



Kyrsten Sinema
United States Senator