Jonah: Big Fish, Bigger GodIsampula

Follow Jesus’ example

Why did God bother with Jonah, the runaway, rebellious, self-righteous prophet? When Jonah “ran away from the Lord” (Jonah 1:3), why didn’t God just let him run? Or let him drown in the storm? Why didn’t God tell the angels to find a new prophet? Simple. Because God loves “those people.”

I had to wrestle with that fact earlier this year. Recently, I received a request to interview with a Christian group whose social media pages rubbed me the wrong way. Post after post was about “those people” who are the real problem with America. Article after article was about “those people” whose sins are destroying this nation. It felt so pharisaical that I wanted to keep my distance from such folks.

But one day, it hit me. Am I doing what Jesus did? When a tax collector invited Jesus over for dinner, and his rule-breaking buddies were at the table, what did Jesus do? He went. He ate. He spoke the truth, and he spoke it in love. And when a Pharisee invited Jesus over for dinner and his rule-keeping but incredibly judgmental buddies were at the table, what did Jesus do? He went there too! He ate there, too! He spoke the truth, and he spoke it in love there too!

Jesus embodied what the book of Jonah is all about, namely, God’s love for all people. May we, full of grace and truth, be the next example of showing and sharing that love with the world.