I was reading the book of Jonah the other day (not as part of a reading plan, I'd been watching a TV programme on oceans and it started a train of thought in my mind... ). And, as I did so, it struck me afresh just what a grump Jonah was. He was clearly chosen by God and he was used significantly by God but he had a profound ability to be really miserable, stubborn and plain awkward along the way. He was:
1. Grumpy about God's call to mission
He didn't want to go. It's as simple as that. God called him to proclaim a message of judgement to the Ninevites and Jonah responded by legging it. It's not that Jonah minded the travelling (he was only too keen to get to Tarshish, in the opposite direction); it's not that he minded a spot of financial sacrifice (he didn't hesitate to pay the fare for his "let's run away from God" trip) - but he was desperate not to go to Nineveh and tell the people there that God doesn't treat rebellion lightly. Hand-picked by God to be the bearer of a divine message, he said "no way!"
2. Grumpy about God's compassion and mercy
You know what happened next: storm - straws - sinking - stomach - spewed on to a beach - spreading of the message - sackcloth and ashes - salvation all around. It's a great narrative setting out God's amazing love for the whole world and the wonderful way in which God both enables repentance and responds to repentance by staying his righteous anger. It's the kind of episode that, when viewed rightly, lightens the heart and encourages expressions of great praise. But was Jonah happy about it? He was not! He witnessed, first hand, an incredible act of God's grace - and had an almighty strop. "I told you so ... I knew this would happen ... this is just so typical of you, Lord - I wish I were dead!"
3. Grumpy about God's clear explanation
God didn't just roll his eyes at Jonah - he didn't just leave him languishing in his wrong perspective - he helped him understand what was really at stake. He gave Jonah an explanation in the form of a vine. The plant grew and gave shelter - the plant died and left Jonah exposed to intolerable heat. Jonah hadn't done a thing to help that vine thrive but he still cared about its demise. It was a visual metaphor to help him see that if he cared about something as transitory as a vine, God was bound to care much more about the 120,000 people of Nineveh. Did it work? Not entirely! He was right to care but it was more self pity that came out of his mouth. "I'm angry enough to die" he said in his typical, rational way.
Finally, God explained the situation in words that even Jonah couldn't miss ... The Bible doesn't say, but hopefully he began to get it later that day.
While he did have his moments of obedience, Jonah wasn't a great role-model. In fact, I think it's fair to say that Jonah had "issues". I mean, how ridiculous to be grumpy about being chosen and called by God to spread his message... how bizarre to be angered at the sight of God's mercy ... how dense not to grasp God's helpful explanation?
It's not like any of us - as dearly loved, chosen and adopted children - would ever choose to try to avoid God's call to spread the gospel, is it? We take the great commission seriously and never hold back from telling those around us that there is a judgement coming ... It's not like any of us ever respond with hard-heartedness when we see God's mercy at work in the lives of others! Pride, self-centredness, envy never taint our reactions to Kingdom growth. It's not like we ever miss what God is teaching us, is it? All sermons, every Bible study, every quiet time passage instantly gets applied to our particular context ... Doesn't it?
I mean, if we were to do a compare and contrast, we'd find that we're totally different from Jonah, wouldn't we? Just try it for a moment ...
So ... Anyone fancy joining me in the belly of a fish any time soon? Or maybe more constructively - given that Jesus has already spent 3 days in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:38-45) - on our knees? For it is at the foot of the cross that we find forgiveness, restoration, strength and transformation. The perfect antidote to Jonah's, my and your heart of grumpiness this week ...
