TOO BUSY TO DO GOD'S WILL
When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
(Luke 14: 15-24)
The parable of the banquet contains many lessons but for today’s post, we will focus on what it can mean in the choices we make. Though the parable of the wedding relates to Heaven, there are also lessons we can learn for our lives on Earth.
Notice that there is a King inviting people for his son’s wedding.In the story, the King represents God. The call or the invitation is symbolic to the call God makes when He invites us to live according to His will. In the story, it was the will of the King to have guests attend the banquet. Take a look at the three responses invited people gave:
I just bought a field, I must go and see it.
I just bought five yokes of oxen and I am on my way to try them out.
I just got married,I can’t come
Today’s post will focus on the above three responses. Before I analyze those responses, I would like to warn everyone about the danger of engaging in acquisitions that make you miss the Kingdom of God and a life of purpose.
I am not against the acquisition of goods or relationships. However, before you acquire something or a relationship, always ask yourself these two questions:
“Will that acquisition allow me to live my God given calling?”
“If I acquire that thing or that relationship, shall I be able to prioritize the will of God?”
Acquisitions can be fine as long as they don’t impede your ability to prioritize and do the will of God.
In the parable, two people each bought a field and five yokes of oxen. They decided to decline the King’s invitation to prioritize their acquisitions. There are many Christians who have deviated from their God given purpose when they acquired debts, credit cards, a house, a new job, money, an upgraded lifestyle, etc… Those acquired things took so much space in their timetable to the point where they (those Christians) had no more time nor resources for their God given mission. Some acquisitions can even shrink the generosity of many. We have seen many instances where new acquisitions reduced the ability of many in being generous or in being able to invest resources within the will of God.
And then, there is a person who declined the invite because he or she just got married. It’s quite relevant that Jesus only mentions ‘marriage’ and he is not referring to friendship, fatherhood, motherhood as relationship statuses that would impede a person to answer the call of the King.
I think that Jesus specifically mentioned ‘marriage’ in the parable because marriage is the one relationship status that has the most potential in deviating a person from their divine purpose.
It’s easier to prioritize God above the people who belong in relationship classes outside of marriage.
At times,it can be very difficult to prioritize God and His will, above a spouse. The enemy knows it all too well and this is why he (the enemy) used Eve to influence Adam in eating the forbidden fruit.
Here again, the same advice about material acquisitions also applies: ‘ Marriage is a good thing. However, you should always make sure that the person you marry will assist you in doing the will of God in your life. And always ensure that you will assist your spouse in doing the will of God. Furtermore, we should all bear in mind that being an active, responsible and present spouse in a marriage also forms part of the will of God (ref.: Ephesians 5:25, 1 Timothy 5:8, 1 Timothy 3:1-5). Therefore, a married person must know how to be active in all his/her divine tasks which also include the married life relationship.
In all things or in all relationships that you acquire, always ensure that you will available to do God's will.