Bible Verse Challenge, Day 6: Squeaky Wheels and Giving Hearts

Today's pick isn't just one verse, but it's one of my favorite parables, so let's break the rules a bit, shall we? :)

And (Jesus) said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. (Luke 11:5-8)

This parable hits on two different points, and both are equally valuable.

When I first heard it at Mass years ago, the Italian in me felt vindicated. I'm about as hard-headed as it gets, and when I really want something, it takes a lot to stop me.

We are all on a winding journey that comes with its fair share of curveballs. And I believe that success isn't so much about how well we succeed in navigating those obstacles, but our desire to keep pushing forward despite them.

I feel that that's what Jesus is calling us to here — an attitude of stubborn determination and commitment to making the right decisions and doing our best to follow His example in our lives. Too, I believe this speaks to the power of prayer. It might often feel like we're talking to the ceiling, but we're told over and over again to ask, seek, knock and share our hearts with God. Like a good parent, He cares for us and our needs. The answer may not always be yes, but He still wants to know what we hope for.

There's another person who teaches a lesson in this parable, and that's the neighbor. How often do we turn away someone in need because of our circumstances or pure inconvenience? I know that I tend to get so absorbed in my own little world that I can often forget to look outward. This parable challenges us to respond to the needs of the hurting world around us, whether that person is our literal neighbor or a homeless father in Camden.

It's amazing how so little can teach us so much, isn't it? Jesus is a master storyteller, which explains why His messages still resound in us almost 2,000 years later.