The book of Jonah fascinates me. I think the main reason is that my understanding of it has changed so much since I first heard the story as a child. And honestly, even now when I read it, my opinion of Jonah is still changing as I keep changing.

In children’s’ classes, the story of Jonah is typically used as an example of obedience to God. He didn’t listen at first, but then he was swallowed by a large fish and changed his mind and went and did what God told him to do. So that was my opinion of Jonah growing up for the most part – great example of obedience.

I know I had read through the whole book, but I must have glossed over the ending. As a parent, I understand why most classes do stop at Jonah’s obedience to God in going to Nineveh. My kids need good examples. They don’t really need more ideas of bad behavior or attitudes – they can come up with plenty on their own.

When I got a little older and continued to read through this story, it finally struck me – yes, Jonah did obey God’s direction to go to Nineveh, but

that was after he had been swallowed by a giant fish, lived, and was spit back out, and
his behavior is like a child telling a sibling they were sorry for hitting them because they were told by their parents to do that.

Not because they really felt sorry and wanted to, but because they were made to. His obedience didn’t really seem to come from the heart.

And we see that as the book continues. He did what God asked. He told the Ninevites that they were doing bad things and that God was going to destroy their city. And this changed their lives! They turned from their evil ways – at least for a time; we do know they went back to evil – but Jonah didn’t care about that. He only wanted to see the destruction that he preached.

While this isn’t the example I want to present to my children, I get it. Jonah speaks to me as an adult as a reminder that I can’t just do the “right” thing. I have to do it with the right heart. It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13 which lists all these things that one could do that are good, but says “but if I have not love, I am nothing.” We can do all the right things. By the book. But if we do them without love, does it really matter?

The Ninevites were saved for a time by Jonah’s preaching. His reluctant obedience made a difference for their lives. But did it make a difference in Jonah’s own life? I think God can use our reluctant obedience to still make a breakthrough to others, to serve them. But when we do things without love, we miss out on the best God has for us – the joy and blessings of serving.

~Stephanie Fletcher