Character Confession: After the Whale
One of my favorite Bible stories is Jonah, but for the longest time, I didn’t get true nature of the story. Oh, I got the staying in a belly’s whale and ewww part, but I thought it was fear that landed him in that whale.
Nope, it was disobedience.
He knew once he obeyed and spoke to the people of Ninevah, they’d change.
For the better.
And Jonah didn’t think they deserved it.
I’ve actually thought about that time for Jonah once he realized he needed to get back on track with God’s plan. Once he dried off (and I hope took a few showers) what was his attitude like? Was he skipping all the way to his destination?
Well if he’s anything like me, this is how I picture it.
Before he reaches town, he has a lot of forest. With weeds and tall grass with unspeakable reptiles at his feet. The plants have thorny stuff and sticky residue. Jonah’s cutting through it all just muttering up a storm, but give him credit, he’s still moving forward.
Once he reaches the clearing, he can see the city. He’s tired, hungry, and not overjoyed, but he’s not going back. Or eating seafood ever again.
His stomach probably does a few flip flops and he probably has a dual conversation inside his head like the cartoons where the devil and angel sit on the hero’s shoulder, arguing.
These people don’t deserve your message. Run, Jonah, run!
Jonah! Do you want to go back to that whale? This isn’t your message, it’s God’s. Obey, Jonah, obey!
So he obeys. He warns the people and they repent.
And if he’s like me, that dual debate in my head disappears. The stomach calms down. If anything, his eyes well up. Because as much as he didn’t want to do this, and as much as he believes no one deserved another chance, their repentance and healing is breathtaking. Better than anything he could have ever imagined. Worth every thorn, muddy encounter, weed, snake, and yes, even the belly whale time makes complete sense.
I wish I could tell you the end result when God asks me to obey, but I don’t. When I deliver a message or forgive or write or pray something He’s asked me to do I’ve had to surrender the outcome. It could be beautiful, or the audience could reject it. And me. And God.
But I still need to obey.
Thankfully most of the time when I see the end result, it is glorious. One that comes to mind you can see my feet dragging right up to the whale’s open mouth. But I let go of the audience and whether they deserved God’s message and invitation. I did what my Heavenly Father asked me to do. It was hard, and warehouses of tears came out of this vessel. But on the other side of it I saw a changed environment. Where I had a faint smell of whale, they smelled like a flower shop, a beautiful fragrance because they took God’s message and embraced it. And to this day I have no regrets.
Have you had a Jonah experience? Did you ever think about his journey after the whale?
