<p>11:8 <i>I say to you, though he will not want to rise and give anything to him, yet because he is his friend, and because of the man's persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs</i>- The knocking on the door is specifically a symbol of prayer. If we see our brothers need, even if we can do nothing physically to help (and so often, we can&rsquo;t); we will <i>pray</i> earnestly for them. If we truly feel for them, we will pray for them. The friend troubles his friend for help (Lk. 18:7), just as in another parable about prayer the desperate widow &quot;troubles&quot; the judge for a response (Lk. 18:5).</p><p>The poor neighbour asks with &quot;importunity&quot; (AV)- with shamelessness. He is confident of being heard and has no shame or hesitation to his request because he knows he really does have nothing to give the visitor. This is of course the prerequisite for prayer which will be heard. The Lord drives the point home that whoever asks in this way, receives. And yet the Lord addresses this comment to those who although &quot;evil&quot;, knew how to give gifts to their kids. Surely the Lord was speaking to the Pharisees present, who prayed regularly. Perhaps He is saying that they had never really prayed the prayer of earnest desire, motivated by others' needs.</p><p>Because of his &quot;importunity&quot;, the rich friend gave to him. The Greek translated &quot;importunity&quot; means lack of shamefacedness, lack of reverence. The Greek word is <i>an-aideia</i>: without <i>aidos</i>. What does <i>aidos</i> mean? It is used twice in the New Testament: in 1 Tim. 2:9 &quot;shamefacedness&quot;, and in Heb. 12:28 &quot;serve God acceptably with <i>reverence</i>&quot;. The man (who the Lord invites us to see as representing us) comes to the rich friend (cp. God) <i>wit out</i> this reverence. Now of course we should serve our God with appropriate reverence. But there ought to be times when we as it were rush to God, because He is our father and our friend, without that formality which our worship of Him might more usually include. Contrary to the ideas of popular religion, God is not merely something to be worshipped; He is Father and friend, the one to run to in time of urgent need <i>when that need arises from the requirements of His people and His work. &nbsp;</i></p><p>Paul&rsquo;s writings are packed with allusions back to the Lords parables. In his reference to the tale of the three friends, Paul seems to have understood just as we have done. Rom. 16:1,2 comments that the ecclesia should welcome &quot;Phoebe our sister receive her in the Lord, as becomes saints, and that you assist her in whatever business she <i>has need</i> of you: for she has been a succourer of many&quot;. &quot;Has need&quot; is the same Greek word as in Lk. 11:8- the friend gave whatever <i>was needed</i> to the friend who arrived from his journey. And Paul says this should be done for Phoebe because she lived a life of giving out to others needs. <i>&nbsp;</i></p>