What if you were then able to pull over and watch as the policeman talks with this person, checking his license and registration. How would you feel if you then heard Mr. Policeman say, “Well sir, you were really speeding and being very reckless, but since you seem really sincere when you say you are sorry and that you won’t do it again, I’m going to let you off with just a warning.” Was justice served? NO! Would you be upset?
Okay, so maybe it’s time to be honest here…. It is so easy to do this in our daily lives (although we may not speak it out loud). Have you ever wanted that “righteous pleasure” that comes when someone “gets what they deserve”?
Have you ever been so angry at God that you complained openly to Him? Have you ever been mad that God is merciful and compassionate? This is exactly where we find the prophet Jonah:
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” (Jonah 4:1-3)
Jonah is expressing anger and frustration directly to God, specifically because God is not giving people what they deserve. What is God’s response to Jonah?
The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?” (Jonah 4:4)
Of course it’s not right, but it is natural!
Do you remember the earlier part of the story of Jonah? This scene happens after Jonah had directly disobeyed God and tried to run away. God had Jonah tossed overboard and swallowed by a huge fish for his disobedience. So is this a case where Jonah got what he deserved, but then is angry that God showed mercy to someone else? Perhaps that is how Jonah felt, but it’s not how it really went down.
Think about this: Jonah – someone known by the people to be a “prophet of God”, directly and openly disobeys a direct order from His Lord. Yes, God disciplined him, but then what happened? Jonah repented and God had mercy on him:
Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. (Jonah 2:10)
The people of Nineveh didn’t wait until after God disciplined them. As soon as they were told God was not pleased with them, they repented.
When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city (Jonah 3:6-7a)
Jonah, who was a direct recipient of God’s mercy, then was angered when other people received mercy. Does this sound familiar to anyone besides me?
#LoveMatters