I Love the World--It's People I Can't Stand
Jonah … a fascinating and intriguing story. One of the best you’ll ever read. A run-away-preacher, scared-out-of-their-wits sailors, a hurricane-like storm, a fish-eats-man drama, a bleached prophet, and terrified terrorists. Further, it’s true—all of it.
Jonah is not your run-of-the-mill prophet. He’s different. Defiant. A rebel. Hard-headed and stubborn. Most prophets ran to God. Jonah ran from God. The prophets proclaimed their message. Jonah proclaimed his woes. Jonah’s message was eight words, “‘Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown’” (Jonah 3:4). Lousy sermon from my perspective—no introduction, no outline, no humor, no hope, and a total downer.
Most of the prophets suffered horrific persecution. They were mocked, stoned, imprisoned, and beaten. Not Jonah. His only suffering was self-inflicted. Most of the prophets predicted the future with glimpses of hope. Jonah fumed about the future—angry there was hope. Jonah was the only prophet sent to preach in a foreign land … and the only one to run the opposite direction to a different foreign land. Jonah had more visible results than all the other prophets combined—and he deserved his success the least. God’s patience with Jonah stretches the meaning of the word.
The glowing grandeur of the book is God’s compassion for the undeserving—Jonah, the sailors, the terrorists in Nineveh. Above all the miracles and spectacular twists of events, nothing is of greater significance than God’s love for a wicked-to-the-core people. The message of the book crashes through all the barriers of nationalism and racial hatred. People of other cultures, languages, and colors of skin matter to God. The message of the book captures the why for going to the ends of the earth with the good news that God loves and is willing to save the most lost person on the planet.
Perhaps, there’s never been a time when the message of this book has been more needed. Racism, prejudice, and hatred flourish in our world. Many pat themselves on the back for being a loving person while they despise the person who mows their lawn … or their co-worker … or the person in the other political party … or obnoxious Uncle Charlie. Saying you love all the people in Africa and Asia is fairly easy but quite a different matter when they move into the neighborhood. God’s love through Jesus Christ is for every person—murderer, kidnapper, terrorist, thief, drug addict, sexual deviant, and the self-righteous. The “Go and preach” of the opening verse of Jonah is still the command today. You cannot say the word “gospel” without saying “go.”
As you capture the passion of God for a lost people and his love for a hurting world today, translate the lessons of the book into your world. Love that person who irritates you or misuses you or maligns you. Walk across the room to talk to that person others avoid. Show and tell others how much God loves them. The message of Jonah is for today!
