When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it. But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. 

                                                                                                                 Jonah 3:10-4:1 

God demonstrated His love, mercy, and forgiveness toward the people of Nineveh. What could have been a catastrophic outcome, turned out to be a happy ending. When we go to the movies, one of the positive aspects of the “feel good” story is the redemptive and joyful conclusion that we find at the end of the film. Although the characters in the story may make mistakes or go through difficult times, in the end, all is made right and the characters are restored. This is what happened in Nineveh. Yet there was one man who was not at all thrilled about this outcome. Jonah saw that God relented and he “was greatly displeased” and he “became angry.”

Displeasure and anger often accompany one another. Angry people usually exhibit negative emotions and often seem very disgruntled with life altogether. This anger and displeasure with life can come from seeing others prosper while they do not. In addition, the angry person may be continuing to hold on to an unwillingness to forgive others, living in the prison of past events. This unwillingness to forgive others naturally leads to anger, displeasure, and even hatred. Of course, this is not what God intends for any of us which is what makes these misguided attitudes all the more tragic. Jonah was God’s man for the job but although fulfilling the assignment, Jonah was unable to enjoy the result. His attitude was not in line with God’s therefore he missed the blessing of serving.

It would be nice to be able to say that Jonah was the only one to have this outlook but this type of attitude is alive and well today and it can even reside in the hearts and minds of believers. It reminds me of a parable told by Jesus. In the parable, Jesus is describing the kingdom of heaven. A landowner sends workers out into his field. The wage for the day’s labor is agreed on beforehand. Some of the workers were sent immediately, some arrived in the field to work at the third hour, some at the sixth, some at the ninth, and even some at the eleventh hour. When the workers were called in to receive their wage, the landowner began with the last group first. Each worker was paid the exact same wage. Consider the attitude of the workers who had spent all day in the field:

When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner… 

                                                                                                            Matthew 20:10-11 

They grumbled not because of what they received rather they were upset because the others received the same. They believed that they were owed more. They were greatly displeased at the generosity of the landowner. Look at the mindset of these individuals:

‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’

                                                                                                            Matthew 20:12 

This is a huge danger especially for those in vocational ministry. When we begin to believe that “bearing the burden” places us above others, we have completely forgotten from what we have been saved, namely our own depravity. When we understand that it is not by works rather by faith in Jesus alone that causes us to be accepted by God (Romans 4:4-5), we are guarding ourselves against this kind of selfish, misguided, and ungodly attitude. The landowner (who represents God) gets down to the heart of the matter. Consider his words: 

‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’

                                                                                                            Matthew 20:15 

There it is! Envy over the generosity of God is at the root of this attitude. Jonah’s problem was that he was confronted with the reality that, in the eyes of God, the people of Nineveh were being viewed as equals to himself. This man of God, who made mistakes yet fulfilled his calling, was no better than the people of Nineveh in all of their wickedness. The thief on the cross inheriting the very same eternal promises as the one who dedicates his/her life in service to God, this is the reality. And for the spiritually arrogant, this is viewed as entirely unacceptable.

We are all equally in need of salvation (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6, James 2:10. Romans 5:18). And for those who call on the name of the Lord, asking for salvation, that is exactly what God does (Romans 10:13). There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). Eternal life, spiritual freedom, victory, and power are now the reality for those who believe (John 3:16, Galatians 5:1, Ephesians 1:19). Just like a happy ending at the end of a film, God’s redemption for everyone who will believe should bring us great joy and contentment. Sadly, this is not the case for everyone. But the good news is…it can be!