Everyone invited to a party or wedding reception will see at the bottom of their invitation the initials: RSVP. We all know what to do when we see this. It’s a kind of “code” that tells us that our response is requested. But did you ever wonder what exactly those initials mean?

The letters come from the early French phrase, “Répondez s’il vous plaît”: “Respond, if you please.” Or more colloquially, “Please respond!” It was a polite way of requesting a guest to confirm his or her attendance. This shows honor and consideration for the host, who is planning ample food and drink for the guests during the reception celebration.

“Please respond.”

Sometimes I think this phrase should be a Christian’s key phrase –the message we bear on our palms and sleeves. For followers of Jesus, response def…