“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.”
Jonah 4:1, ESV
Those of us who have been in the church for a while can read or hear Bible stories without allowing ourselves to be challenged by them. They can be so familiar that we encounter them without thinking about what we are to learn from them.
In listening to the story of Jonah this morning, I was struck by the phrase I quoted above. Jonah was angry that the Ninevites repented and that God showed them mercy. Jonah had contempt for those to which he was called to preach.
When I was young, the church I attended was a small Conservative Baptist congregation in a borough in Eastern Pennsylvania. It was a group of people who were like-minded and comfortable (for the most part) with each other. But the church was not experiencing any growth no matter what standard was used to measure it.
One Sunday a Christian ministry that performed puppet shows to share the gospel message was featured in the morning worship service. The local newspaper learned about it and sent a reporter to cover the event. This was a great opportunity for the church to reach others with the message of Jesus Christ.
What stands out from that event is that some (many?) in the congregation were angry that the reporter came into the church wearing blue jeans with his hair long enough to have a ponytail. This they considered improper attire for Sunday Worship. Not only did they disapprove, they did a good job communicating their contempt for the reporter’s appearance.
Jonah was angry rather than delighted about God’s acceptance of the Ninevites; the church members were angry that God had brought this young man into the church to hear the gospel.
Lest we begin to feel contempt for those people or Jonah, I am reminded that we all tend to see the worst in others while ignoring it in ourselves. This is why Jesus gave us this parable:
“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Matthew 7:3–5, ESV
Jesus used a humorous story to show us that we all tend to see the small defects in others while ignoring the large ones in ourselves. If you would like additional observations on this parable follow this link to a previous post.
The best way we can put ourselves in the proper frame of mind to spread the gospel is to keep in mind our own need for it.
It is hard to condemn others when we understand that flaws and rebellion are deeply seated in our own hearts and we all need God’s grace which has been extended to us through Jesus Christ.
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