That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
Jonah 4:2
Jonah was right, the Ninevites didn't deserve the Lord's grace, mercy, and compassion. But who really does? Jonah forgot were he once was and what God had saved him from becoming. He forgot that he too was a sinner. Being blinded by self-righteousness he didn't recognize that he was still very much in need of God's grace, compassion, and mercy. Through out the book of Jonah I'm humbled by the grace, mercy, and compassion that God shows him (which he did not deserve) even in the midst of his self-righteousness and disobedience. Salvation is the Lords. So when He calls us to share The Gospel it's not up to us to decide if those he's calling us to share it with are worthy enough, but that decision has already been made. Salvation is there for anyone with a repentant heart, no matter the offense. Who are we to deny others this great gift that was given us. It's because of this great gift that Jonah's obedience as well as our own should be forthcoming. We are to be obedient even if we're right and justified in our thinking. Jonah was right the Ninevites were evil; they were murderers and adulterers. They were so evil that Jonah would have rather died than to see their salvation.
Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live. Jonah 4:3
Although Jonah was right about the Ninevites he needed to be reminded as I often do of what servant-hood looks like. He needed to be shown that justice and salvation was not his to divvy out. When we're obedient, justice is always served one way or another, but always in God's timing. Just a couple of books later in Nahum we find out that Nineveh would most certainly be destroyed, but that was God's sovereign choice. Jonah had to learn that He wasn't God, and that obedience, impartiality, mercy, grace, and compassion are vital parts of servant-hood. Without them we are no longer serving God, but ourselves. Even if we're right, we shouldn't let our self-righteousness, and limited understanding stand in the way of an obedient response to God, which allows us to show His all encompassing character. God's ways and methodology will always be better than our own because they never forsake the greater vision.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so our my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
