In my study today, I read the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. Matthew 22:1-14. To paraphrase, the parable is about a a king who invites many people in his kingdom to his son's wedding. Many people refused his invitation, so the king sent his servants to the street corners to invite anyone that would come. It was at the street corners where the king found his wedding guests. Of those that came to the wedding banquet, there was a man that appeared without proper wedding attire, so the king had the man thrown out of the wedding. Verse 14 reads, "For many are invited, but few are chosen."
The footnote in my Bible helped me understand the meaning of this parable. It reads, "God invites 'many' to be part of his kingdom, but only a 'few' are chosen by him. This does not mean that God chooses arbitrarily. The invitation must be accepted, followed by appropriate conduct. Proper behavior is evidence of being chosen."
The last wedding I went to was my own. I remember how important it was to me that I looked my best. I had to have the closest possible shave, I put on a splash of cologne, my nose hairs were trimmed, my tux was clean and wrinkle free, my shoes had a glossy shine, and each of the hairs on my head were held in place by healthy dose of hair gel. Our wedding was beautiful and no one threatened to throw me out. I had the proper dress; I fit the part.
The Kingdom of Heaven is near, the wedding day is approaching, so today I am reminded that I need to do some grooming. My life, my behavior should indicate that I am an invited wedding guest, that I have been chosen to attend the greatest Heavenly banquet of all.
No comments:
Post a Comment