The Jonah Syndrome

A question I’m often asked is “Why did you come to America?” Something resembling an account of the events that led me to this beautiful and spacious land can be found in this past week’s sermon…. which can be found here.

In the sermon I reflect on the way Jonah resisted the call of God and remained unimpressed by God’s grace towards the sinners of Ninevah, even when they repented. I suspect there remains in each of us something of ‘The Jonah Syndrome’. Do you recognize any of these Jonah symptoms in yourself?

When you hear of trouble, you say ‘Somebody should do something about that!’ By ‘somebody’ you mean ‘somebody other than yourself’. When you sing the hymn ‘Here I am Lord’ you are actually thinking ‘There they are, Lord”

When you sense God’s call to deal with injustice, you want to hide? I mean, after all, Ninevites are not nice people. Unpredictable. Threatening. Scary. Why would anybody want to help them? It was their own fault they were in such a mess! I admit it. I find some homeless people scary. I worry about getting involved in certain peoples situations because I’m afraid where it may lead. I don’t like being ‘not in control’

When it comes to a whole host of dilemmas, from immigration to welfare reform, from helping the poor to housing the homeless, there is a part of my that wants to ignore the issues and pursue different directions.

When things turn out good for your opponents, you get a little sulky. It’s hard to rejoice about others well being, particularly if they are people you don’t particularly like! You would much rather see them brought low and get what you believe they deserve. Jonah thought that ‘The blasting of the Ninevites’ would have made a great fireworks show. Why did they have to go and repent? And why on earth would God show mercy to them?

How easily we forget that we are all in the same boat when it comes to being ‘sinners who fall short of the glory of God’. Were it not for the grace of God, we’d all be lost! Who do we think we are presuming upon who and whom not the grace of God should fall upon. Who made us judge and jury?

As I say… I suspect we all fall victims of Jonah syndrome!

Prayer: Lord, thank goodness You don’t treat us the way we treat each other. Help us to see others as being Your much loved and special children. May that particularly be so with those we find it hard to get along with! May our lives reflect your mercy and our ways reflect your loving kindness. In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.