Pieter Lastman 1583-1633

The story of Jonah gives me hope. Not so much from the repentance of the Ninevites, which was wonderful, but rather based on the patience and compassion the Lord showed to the prophet Jonah.

Jonah was prideful, reluctant, hateful, argumentative and eager to enjoy the destruction of the people of Nineveh. Low on the compassion scale. I think Jonah wanted to see the Ninevites die like dogs and when it didn’t happen he was pissed. Jonah represents many of the rigid religious people in our world. Bad people deserve to be punished and God is wrong for relenting and giving them time to turn to him.

Jonah gives me hope because I am often one of those hyper-religious people in my outlook on the world. I sometimes wish to live in a theocracy where clear lines demarcate right and wrong and people outside those lines face punishment.

But God doesn’t seem as interested in lines as I am. At least not the same lines. The Lord seems much more interested in people and in drawing them to himself. God’s patience with the Ninevites is beautiful. Beyond that, God’s patience with Jonah is astounding. That’s what gives me hope today, because I am often more like Jonah than I like to admit.