The Lodestar

“And the LORD said, ‘You pity the plant, for which you did not labour, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?’” (Jonah 4:10—11).

The Book of Jonah has all the features of a fable where fish, worms, plants, and natural forces are characters. However, in the book’s plot, all these characters stand in contrast to the prophet who disobeyed the Lord, while all of them, lesser creatures, obey. When the Lord commanded, the wind blew, the fish swallowed and threw up the prophet, the plant sprang up, and the worm caused the plant to decay.

Through the many episodes of this satire, the Lord highlights the stubbornness, disobedience, and unkindness of those who call themselves people of God. Jonah was disobedient to God’s call because he did not want his enemy nation to repent and escape the divine punishment. He wanted them to be annihilated.

When Jonah finally made it to the city via the fish’s tummy, he reluctantly preached about the judgment that God had ordered. The people of Nineveh duly repented and escaped the punishment. But Jonah was miserable that the Lord forgave the wicked people of Nineveh.

Jonah preferred his comfort and had no regard for others. He was happy when the Lord made a plant to shade him from the scorching heat. But he was angry when the worm caused the plant to wither.

The Lord uses that opportunity to teach truths about his concern for humanity and our responsibility to our fellow beings. Jonah did not care that the multitude of Nineveh and animals would be destroyed if he did not preach, but he was concerned with the comfort of having a shade over his head. God expects us to be worried about the pain and suffering which grieves the heart of God.

The call of God for followers of Christ is to share God's heart about pain, violence, and suffering and respond in prayer and action. Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, said, "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." You may just need to look out through your bedroom window to see things that break God's heart and call you to action.

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