Luke 18 is very helpful in shedding light into the character of God...and Jesus. The various events and teachings in this chapter set us straight in regard to some important truths about God.
What about unanswered prayer? Should we just pray once or twice about something, and then forget it? Jesus' Parable of the Unjust Judge indicates that we should keep praying and not give up. It is through a widow's persistence that she gains justice from an unjust judge. Does that mean God is like an unjust judge? No, the parable's point is that if even an evil human eventually responds to persistence, HOW MUCH MORE SO will a compassionate God!
What should our attitude before God be in prayer? Should we tell Him all about how good we are and compare ourselves with others? Jesus reveals that we will never impress God by reciting a list of our achievements and spiritual disciplines. Exalting ourselves will only lead to us being humbled. Instead, our example is that of a tax collector who comes to God in humility and contrition. It is the one who humbles himself who is exalted.
When the disciples didn't want to waste Jesus' time with the babies and children, He made it clear that children are highly valued and matter to God. I, for one, am thankful that Jesus had such kind words for the youngest among us!
The "rich young ruler" poses a question to Jesus that we ourselves might have wanted to ask Him. What must I do to inherit eternal life? What does it take to really please God? Jesus first cites the Ten Commandments as a reference to what righteousness looks like. But going all the way in our devotion to God requires us to put Him first, even above our possessions and everything else in life.
Finally, Jesus is the kind of Savior who will stop a parade in His honor to help out a blind beggar and restore his sight. The others in the procession that day told the beggar to pipe down and shut up. Jesus, however, reveals His compassion through His tender approach to the man, and heals him to boot.
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