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Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Why are they being forgiven? They really messed up! Have you ever been jealous when someone has received what seems like undeserved compassion? Perhaps the scales seemed to tip in someone’s favor that you felt wasn’t deserving of that second chance at work. Or maybe you are friends with a group at work that has welcomed someone into the group who had previously gossiped about people in the office, and you are aggravated.
Jonah was so jealous of what he felt was God’s undeserved compassion on Nineveh that he fled from God’s command! God calls to Jonah to go to Nineveh to call them out for their evil (Jonah 1:2). You know how this story goes, Jonah was so against this he got himself a ticket on a ship going the opposite direction, disobeyed God, made God angry, was thrown overboard, and was swallowed up by a giant fish. Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish praying to God for mercy. The fish spit him out, and he begrudgingly went on his way to Nineveh where God called him in the first place. He carried out the calling from God, and the people of Nineveh repented.
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened (Jonah 3:10).
Jonah was angry God showed what he felt was undeserved compassion on the people of Nineveh. One could say he had jealous envy of God’s compassion.
If you know this story, you know this is a very short paraphrase, and when I look at this story, I am struck at how Jonah missed the compassion God showed to him in his disobedience. God kept him safe in the belly of a fish, gave him a second chance, and at the end of the story even gave Jonah shade from a plant as he sulked in his envy. He completely missed God’s compassion for him!
Have you found yourself jealous of God’s compassion on someone else? You might consider spending time reflecting on God’s undeserved compassion on you. I know this helps soften my heart when I feel someone else may not be deserving.