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Jonah – How to Love Our Neighbors
The book of Jonah is more about the sins of Jonah than the sins of Nineveh. It is an exercise in self-reflection – Do I love my neighbor as myself?
Chapter 4 reveals this clearly when Jonah complains about his plant dying. The gift of shade is gone. The plant provided protection.
Part of his complaint turns towards God. Jonah knows God would show the Assyrians mercy; the same mercy Jonah ran away from giving in chapter 1. This shows another revelation about the book of Jonah – God loves His “neighbors!”
If we want to learn how to love our neighbors, look to God. Like Jonah, Jesus too came to a place of sinners. Jesus came as a neighbor to show mercy. Mercy requires truth.
Time for our own self-reflection. Are we loving our neighbors with mercy and truth?
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