almost without taking a breath, Jesus told a story to illustrate the importance of persistence in praying. A man went to his friend at midnight and said, “Lend me three loaves of bread. I have unexpected company and nothing in the house to eat.” But his friend refused, saying that he’d already locked the door and put the children to bed. It was too much trouble to get up and rouse the whole household just to help him out. Jesus suggested that the man ended up getting the bread he needed, not because