Parable of the Persistent Philippino

Nate and I were both sick sleeping upstairs in our bedroom. Nate just got a wisdom tooth out and it was not easy. I wasn't feeling well either and was resting.

I heard the doorbell ring once, then a pause...then again. I thought, "We're not expecting anyone, so it must be a stranger" (sometimes we get random solicitors at our door as I'm sure you probably do too). Then the doorbell rang again and again. I thought, "If it was someone we knew, they would text us..." so I stayed sick in bed.

Ding-Dong! Nate woke up, "Did you hear that?" I told him my thoughts and added, "plus I don't want to go down there with no clothes on!" We both layed back on the pillow.

After a long pause the doorbell rang at intervals persistently for at least five more minutes. This was out of hand! Couldn't they see we were not coming! This could not be an emergency or the person would text us. I didn't want to reward the person for their constant ringing, but I couldn't take it anymore.

I threw a sarong around myself and marched down the stairs. When I opened the door the head of a young boy about 9 or 10 was peeking under the gate of the carport. I thought it was one of the neighbor kids just ringing and ringing for fun and then running away like may day. I told him in Cebuano not to ring so many times and he should come back if he found no one answering.

He pointed to a bag that we had full of plastic bottles. He wanted the bag. "You want this?" I asked pointing? He nodded.

I opened the gate trying to keep my wrap on and gave the bag to the boy. He wanted to recycle my bottles and get the money in return. I felt kind of bad. Actually I didn't feel very Christ-like.

I really remembered the parable of the persistent widow just then. I went upstairs and read Luke 18 and thought how much I was acting like the callous judge, and how similiar this boy's persistence was to that of the widow who wanted justice. Truly Jesus was teaching me a lesson...but he was also reminding me about the power of persistent prayer.

I looked in Luke 11 also and read the story of the friend at midnight. I could truly relate to that one also. I am still reflecting on the lessons learned, but one of them that can encourage you is that we should really pray and not give up.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11.9-10