It only takes a moment for everything to change. These words couldn’t be more true after my experience this week. Now, if you have read my previous post in this series, Who Are You?, go check it out if you haven't. I would have mentioned that my schoolmates and I from high school recently reconnected due to the unexpected death of one of our own. The schoolmate that passed was almost nine months pregnant and went to a private hospital where she had registered to have her baby on the 23rd of April 2020. However, things didn’t go as planned. While in active labour, a staff member made allegations that she was displaying symptoms of the novel coronavirus, which led to her untimely death as the quality of care she received had been compromised after giving birth to a beautiful baby girl. The following day we all learnt that she had tested negative for the virus. Out of fear and a lack of preparedness by the hospital staff to adequately accommodate suspected cases of the virus in expectant mothers, a life was lost. Since then, her family decided to take legal action and therefore launched a Go Fund Me campaign to assist in offsetting the cost of medical and legal fees. It is here, that the story begins.

The launch of the campaign was published both in print and online by the local newspapers here in Jamaica. In reading the comments made online, I was hurt, disappointed, and disheartened with humanity. The comments made online were so callous, demeaning, insensitive, and downright mean (of which I wouldn’t repeat because that would be counterproductive). It made me stop to question the hearts of these people and at that moment, I wondered if they had reached to a point of no return. It was safe to say that I was upset. So, upset that I made a rant video on the matter, expressing my hurt and disappointment, in addition to condemning these people to hell for the comments they had made. I will admit it was not my finest moment. It wasn’t until later that evening when I was much calmer and forced to listen, that God nudged me on the shoulder to remind me about the story of Jonah. 

Now, for those of you who don’t know about Jonah. I will give you a brief overview. Jonah was a prophet (people who receive and deliver the message of God on any subject) from the Northern Kingdom of Israel. God had told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to preach against it because God had seen the wickedness of the people. Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, resulting in him trying to run away from God and the responsibility by jumping on a boat to Tarshish; one of the most remote trading cities in the opposite direction of Nineveh. 

Now, one would think that as a prophet and knowing who God is, could Jonah really run away from God? The answer is no, he couldn’t, and as a result, God sent a great storm on the sea. The vessel Jonah was travelling in was at risk of sinking. It wasn’t until Jonah convinced the ship crew to throw him overboard that the storm became calm as Jonah knew it was because of him the storm came. Once overboard, God sent a large fish to swallow Jonah whole, and it is in the belly of the fish that Jonah spent three days. During those three days, he prayed to God and submitted to Him and His will. At the end of the third day, the fish spat Jonah onto the shore, and he went to Nineveh to deliver God’s message to the people. The people accepted God’s message and truly repented, so God withheld his anger from them and didn’t destroy the city, much to Jonah’s displeasure. So, what does this all mean? Let’s take a look.

Most times, no scratch that, all the times when I have heard this story of Jonah in a sermon, it is usually focusing on Jonah’s disobedience or emphasising that the will of God must prevail (Proverbs 19:21). However, I was prompted by God to look at this story from another angle, which is the whole point of this post. What was the reason why Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh in the first place? Was it because Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire and the bitter enemies of Israel? Nineveh was known for having great lawlessness and showing cruelty to captives. Its citizens were also known to be very violent and ‘blood-thirsty’ people. Therefore, Jonah was annoyed and maybe even repulsed that God would show mercy, compassion, and grace to the people of Nineveh because he (Jonah) thought that they were just too wicked and vile and deserved the wrath of God. But using the example of a plant and worm (Jonah 4:6-7) God showed Jonah that just as how He [God] provided food and shelter for him and saved his life, even in his disobedience. God would much rather pardon the people of Nineveh than destroy them, especially those who were ignorant of right from wrong because He [God] loves them (Jonah 4:11). 

It was then it struck me. We often take it for granted that people know what the right thing to do is. They may be morally ignorant because of culture, beliefs, socialisation, or family upbringing and traditions. I, therefore, realised that it is our response [the individual] to them [other people] that can cause this narrative [ignorance of right from wrong] to change. The people of Nineveh didn’t repent or change until Jonah went to them. The scriptures show that the people were ready for and receptive to God’s message and changed once they heard it. In the same way, God reminded me that these people on social media may very well be ignorant of right from wrong, and it is my response to them that may change that. Often the people who are mean and cold are the ones who are hurting the most, those who had their joy taken away, and so they try to make others feel as badly as they do. God made it clear to me that it’s in the forgiveness that we, the individual show and the grace that we extend to them [other people] that can break this perpetual cycle of negativity and hatred. 

God used the story of Jonah to remind me that just as how He extends His mercy, compassion, grace, and love towards me. I, too, need to extend this same mercy, compassion, grace, and love towards others. He also reminded me that at the end of the day, no one is beyond the point-of-no-return. The book of Jonah shows that even the wickedest of people can be saved. Once they approach God in true repentance, He will pour out His grace, mercy, and compassion towards them. I pray that just how God reminded me of this, you too will also be reminded. 

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”. 
- Martin Luther King Jr.