Inviting - Letting Go of the Outcome

“So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Matthew 22:9-10

To read the whole parable about the wedding banquet, click here: Matthew 22:1-11

REFLECTION

As someone who is a self-proclaimed introvert, the idea of inviting others often feels daunting. When God placed the word “Invite” on my heart as my focus for 2026, I felt exposed and uncertain. My first reaction was, “I don’t like that word, Lord! It feels too vulnerable. What if no one responds?”

Yet, in the quiet moments, I sensed God’s gentle encouragement: “Begin by inviting Me into your heart and your day. Stay rooted in My love and let your invitations to others flow from that place. Trust Me with the outcome.”

The Parable’s Lesson

In Matthew 22, Jesus tells the story of a king who prepares a wedding banquet for his son. The initial guests decline the invitation, each with their own excuse. Instead of giving up, the king sends his servants to invite anyone they can find—good and bad alike—filling the hall with guests.

Sometimes, rejection is not the end but the beginning. God may use closed doors to guide us toward those who truly need an invitation

A Personal Story

Years ago, my father gave a talk about the importance of studying the Bible. Afterward, a young man approached him, dismissing the Bible as irrelevant. My dad simply asked, “Have you ever read it?” When the young man admitted he hadn’t, Dad replied, “Go read it and then come back and talk to me.” That was the invitation—and then Dad let the conversation go.

Many years later, my father met the same man again. The man recounted how that simple challenge led him to pick up the Bible, and ultimately, it changed his life. The seeds of invitation may take years to bear fruit, and we may never see the results firsthand.

The Heart of Invitation

God, the King of the Universe, has prepared a banquet for His Son, Jesus. Through Jesus, we are invited into a relationship and a celebration beyond imagination. Our role is to extend that invitation to others, trusting God to work in their hearts.

We may never witness the impact of our invitations, but every seed planted matters. One day, all will be revealed as we will all gather at the great wedding banquet of the Lamb.

Practical Application

• Invite God daily: Begin each day by welcoming God into your heart and plans.

• Extend invitations courageously: Reach out to others, even if you feel vulnerable or uncertain.

• Let go of the outcome: Trust that God is working, even when you don’t see immediate results.

• Reflect: Who might God be prompting you to invite into your life or faith journey this week?

Prayer – Lord, help me to invite others into Your love and let go of the outcome. Give me courage to extend invitations, trusting You to nurture the seeds I plant. Amen.