Has God every handed you a hard assignment - someplace you knew you were needed but didn’t want to go? Or perhaps He sent you to touch the life of someone you’d rather leave untouched? If so, take heart. God gave the prophet Jonah a tough assignment, and his reactions have some lessons for all of God’s servants.
The plant grew quickly over the shelter Jonah had erected on the outskirts of Nineveh. Providing shade from the midday sun, it was unexpected, but a welcome blessing. Jonah’s spirits were raised a little. He was a depressed man; angry beyond measure that God had spared Nineveh from the judgment God told Jonah to predict. It was little comfort to him that everyone from the king to the most insignificant had repented of their sin and turned to God for mercy. These were the enemies of Israel. Jonah thirsted to see God’s judgment. Instead he witnessed and became an accessory to another outpouring of God’s ever abundant grace. His anger turned inward, Jonah despondently built a shelter outside Nineveh and waited to see what would happen. Perhaps he thought God would yet see through the Ninevites veneer of repentance and bring about the judgment Jonah longed for.
It was then that the shade plant grew. Such a blessing it was. Yet the following day the plant withered and died. Overwhelmed by depression, Jonah cried out to God to take his life. God answered Jonah with a twice repeated questions. He asked, “Do you have good reason to be angry…?” You see, your calling is as much a matter of perspective, (God’s perspective that is), as it is of service. Life is full of disappointments, and not all of God’s assignments are easy. Even the results of faithfulness often don’t match our expectations. Too often like Jonah we are tempted to self-righteous self-pity or heartless service - faithful to outward observers but inwardly at war with God.
We must remember that God wants to bring the lost to Himself. The Bible tells us He is, “not wishing for ANY to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) No person - no place - is beyond the reach of His loving heart. The cost is high at times - tiring, lonely, tedious, difficult. But if we seek to share God’s perspective we’ll find the courage to set aside our present discouragements and remain faithful in our service to Him. As Paul reminds us, “whatever you do, do your work HEARTILY, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.” (Colossians 3:23, 24) An adjusted perspective brings new zest, hope and, yes, even joy to what was a tedious purpose.
Appropriately the book of Jonah closes with a final question. Lastly God asks Jonah which is more important, temporal, undeserved comforts or the lost souls of men? Hopefully the answer is obvious. Service from the heart, it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?
