So… I think I’ve been reading these parables wrongly. In my head these passages have always been about me inviting people into the Kingdom of God, with a pinch of social justice thrown in for good measure. Now don’t get me wrong, Jesus does talk about both those elements of our faith (see parable of the sower for example), but that’s not what he’s doing here. 

My original reading of these parables always placed me in the position of the inviter, whether to a banquet or wedding. But that’s my mistake. If we read to the end and hear Jesus talk about the cost of following Him, we see that the person who is doing the inviting is Jesus himself. Jesus hosts the wedding, Jesus hosts the banquet and Jesus invites into His kingdom. 

So where do we find ourselves in the story? Many who were traipsing around Israel following Him very clearly found themselves in the poor, sick, lame and low category. They had never been included, never been invited, found themselves on the fringe of society in 1st century Israel. But here is Jesus extending an invitation to all! And, we too are in that ‘all’!

Jesus is clear that there is a cost to following Him and that following him will look and feel different to going with the worldly flow. But nonetheless the invitation is given to all and the exciting little nugget Jesus leaves us with is that if we accept the costly invitation, and remain salty, we can have a lasting impact on the world. It all starts by saying yes!

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Questions:

How am I responding to Jesus’ invitation today? What is the cost I’m currently feeling or may need to feel to remain salty?

Prayer:

Thank You for choosing me for this costly banquet! Teach me to remain salty by remaining in You. Let my actions enable those around me to accept Your invitation too. Amen.