Motivated by Compassion

We see Jonah’s real motivation for preaching to Nineveh when he goes outside the city to wait for God’s wrath. But it never comes; instead, God forgives them. God’s grace is an amazing gift we want for ourselves, but we often hope his grace will be withheld from our enemies. Jonah is happy when he receives comfort from the shade of a plant and angry when he suffers from the heat. He wept over the plant but would not weep over the lostness of his enemies. What about us? We often believe that God takes pleasure in judging sinners, but he does not. He takes pleasure when people repent of their sins and turn to Him. We should weep over the sad situation of those far from God and do all that we can to love and serve them and share the truth of the gospel with them. God is patient, wanting us to go to them so that they may hear. The question for us is the same as God asked Jonah: Should we not be more concerned for lost people than we are about our own comfort?

Motivated by Compassion