Here’s a curious tale. Jonah has just started a great revival — people repenting by the thousands — and now he’s sitting angrily on a hillside waiting for God to destroy the city. You mean to say that he’s not happy at the success of his preaching? No, he’s angry that the plant shading his booth has died. Talk about losing perspective!
Jonah had two problems. The first was he lived only in his own bubble for his own comfort. When God called him to preach at Nineveh, he ran away. So God sent a very large fish to swallow him. Okay. He learned it is much better to be concerned for what God wants than what we want! He decided he would go to Nineveh and preach — but not happily.
But Jonah had a deeper problem. He didn’t really love or care for people. He was seriously judgmental. So God grew a plant. Jonah loved its shade. Then God killed the plant, and Jonah became angry again.
“Jonah,” God basically said, “you’re angry because I didn’t save the plant that you had nothing to do with creating. But don’t you see, Jonah, that I’ve just saved thousands of people that I care about deeply?”
We can be like Jonah — living in our own bubble, concerned for what affects us, and insensitive to what God is doing in the lives of others.
I don’t want to be like that, and I’m sure you don’t either. God, please pop our little bubbles and help us to care!
Lord, give me eyes today to see what you are doing in the people around me. I don’t want to run away. Help me to truly care. Amen.
Go Deeper — Are you a tad bit angry because God has allowed something to be be taken from you? Maybe a friend, a job opportunity, or a belonging? Will you let him pop your bubble so you can begin to see his greater purpose?
Photo Credit: Faical Zaramod