Why Would YOU Say No?

“How can people be so stupid,” Harold stormed, as he flung the mail on the table beside the phone.

“I sent out a hundred invites to the wedding and not a single one has responded so far.”
He shuffled through the mail once again. “See: only the usual fliers and bills. And this is going to be a big, big occasion. You’d think everyone would feel honored to be invited to Prince Joshua’s wedding!” He flopped down in an easy chair with something like a pout on his lean, handsome face.

               His wife, Carol, deftly finished forming calzones and popped the pan in the oven. “Care for a cup of coffee while we wait? It’s freshly brewed.”

               “Sure. Thanks.”

               “I met Dan over at the John Deere dealer, and we exchanged ‘howdies’. He was running his hand oh so lovingly over the biggest, fanciest riding mower there and I could tell he was sure longing to get one. When I asked him if he got the invitation in the mail, he answered distractedly then plunged right in with a lengthy description of the ‘cool’ motorboat they had purchased just this last spring and have been taking out nearly every weekend since.”

               He paused to take a sip of his coffee. “Whew! Hotter than I expected. Not your fault, hon. When I asked him again if he was planning to be at the wedding he said, “Oh, yeah, sure; if it suits. Oh, that’s the weekend of the ninth isn’t it? We are going up to visit my wife’s relatives. They live down in Spain, y’know and have great ocean front….You guessed it. He was off on his favorite topic again.”

               The timer rang just then, and Carol removed the piping hot treat from the oven. “Let’s eat out on the patio. Could you bring the salad please? It’s in the fridge. And that homemade dressing in the clear bottle.”

               Quietness came over them as they gazed over at the pine trees and tiny lake on their acreage. “I wonder if it’s my fault,” Harold mused out loud after they had bowed for prayer.  

               “Why would you think that?” Carol took a calzone and nibbled it daintily.

               “Maybe my approach is all wrong. Josh and I—I mean Prince Joshua and I have been buddies for years and I get so enthused about this upcoming wedding.  I can’t understand why everyone else doesn’t feel the same way. Maybe I come on too strong.” He took another sip of his now cooling coffee, and then set it aside.

               “Royalty isn’t respected and valued like it was in former years,” Carol gazed thoughtfully across the rippling water.  “I met Diane at the Fabric Shop and asked her if she was choosing material for the wedding. She gave me a blank look that clearly said: “what wedding?” then said: “Oh that’s so far in the future. I’m not even going to think about it, yet. I’m choosing material for matching sundresses for my two little daughters.” She lifted up a piece; “Won’t they look adorable in this?” I agreed that it was very cute and we went on to other things. Why isn’t this wedding more important to people? They act like it is just another wedding”—

               “But it isn’t!” they both said simultaneously, and broke off laughing.

               “How are the other employees making out?”

               Harold groaned. “I catch Bill reading newspapers, magazines, anything he can get his hands on every time I happen to meet him. He starts nervously and fumbles in his briefcase for the brochures, but I happen to know the pile hasn’t diminished much!”

               “So it is partly our fault if there is a lack of interest.” Carol gathered up the leftovers and carried them into the house. Harold trailed after her with the dishes.

               “Will Prince Joshua ever be upset if the house isn’t full!”

               Jesus has also sent out a great invitation. Why aren’t more responding?