The story of Jonah is one of our most beloved narratives from all of the Old Testament. It is such a memorable story, so unique among all the others we read in the Bible, and so full of easy-to-grasp lessons. All of which, of course, makes it the perfect Vacation Bible School story and lesson for kids. But it’s not just for kids—it’s for all of us. There is so much from the story of Jonah for us to learn and benefit from. Throughout the short book, we watch as the prophet goes from being reluctant to repentant to renewed to resentful* and the message for us is clear: don’t resent God’s grace that he shows to others, no matter how undeserving we think they are.

At first, Jonah was reluctant to obey the Lord. God told him to go to Nineveh but he ignored God. (Jonah 1:2). He tried to flee from the presence of the Lord (1:3), something that he would learn is impossible to do. While Jonah was fleeing he ironically said, “I fear the LORD, the God of heaven…” (1:9) when he was in fact actively running away from God. Then in chapter 2, Jonah was repentant. Apparently a few days in the stomach of a huge fish has a way of getting your attention and changing your perspective on life. In that gross environment, Jonah repented and prayed to God: “But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD” (2:9). After his repentance, Jonah was renewed in chapter 3 and given a second chance to obey. This time, he did as he was instructed. He went to Nineveh, preached the message that God gave him to preach, and witnessed an incredible change of heart among the wicked Ninevites who repented and humbled themselves before God.

Jonah got off to a rocky start but he repented of his reluctance and God used him to save many many people from destruction. But his story ends with a twist. In chapter 4 we see that Jonah, far from pleased with the repentance of the Ninevites, was actually resentful that they were spared the destruction he felt they deserved. Jonah was resentful that God was so gracious towards these wicked (but now repentant) people. The book closes with this rhetorical question from the Lord: “Should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons…? (4:11).  If we resent God’s grace shown to other people, we have lost sight of souls. And when we lose sight of souls, we lose sight of God. This week, ask God to open your eyes to the souls around us who need the Lord. And may God help us, when they repent and find his grace, to remember that we need his grace just as much as they do.

(*I’m indebted to Bud Woodall for this outline of the book of Jonah)