“And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” (Jonah 4:11, NKJV)

The story of Jonah is about a man who cared more about his own community and reputation than about the kingdom of God. The sad thing is that Jonah was supposed to be a prophet of God who represented God, but his heart was far from God. He knew that the LORD was gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness (v. 2), but he did not share the LORD’s heart. God went to great lengths to show Jonah the error of his ways, but Jonah was stubborn and self-righteous.

This story teaches us that we can be close to God by profession and yet far from God in attitude. Because God is full of compassion, He cares about people we have written off and want nothing to do with. The Ninevites were bloodthirsty and ruthless enemies of Israel, and yet they were still God’s creatures. He took pity on this city with more than 120,000 people who were spiritually blind and so ignorant as to not know their right hand from their left.

Jonah was the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). When the youngest son came home repentant, the father forgave him and killed the fatted calf to celebrate, but the elder brother’s heart was hard. He harbored hatred against his brother, and this separated him from his father. We don’t know if he ever repented; the story is unresolved. The same was true of Jonah.

The question I must ask myself is, do I have God’s heart toward others?

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:20–21, NKJV)

How much does God love the Ninevites and others like them? He made His only Son to be sin for them so that they might become the righteousness of God in Christ. And He has made us His ambassadors and given us the ministry of reconciliation. Do we share the Father’s heart? Do we care for lost souls made in His image? Or are we allowing bitterness to separate us from the God of compassion, mercy and grace?