Jonah

1 "But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry."
Jonah 4

Vitals                

Focuses on: Book of Jonah

Job Description:  A Prophet

Significant events in worldly position: Spent 3 days and 3 nights in a giant fish and delivered a message to Nineveh 

Aftermath: Becomes angry about God's compassion to the people of Nineveh

Is this person one with desirable traits of a Christian?

          The book of Jonah definitely has some interesting events. Most notably of how a guy was able to spend three days and three nights inside a fish and come out alive. So unexpected.

          This book tells of the prophet named Jonah. He would deliver messages and let people know of God's word. However, the story begins with God telling Jonah to preach to Nineveh, which was described as "wicked". Jonah did not do as the lord said and instead headed to Tarshish, which was awaay from Nineveh. As he was traveling, his ship gets caught in a storm. The storm was so violent that Jonah knew that God was angry with him. His shipmates throw him off to calm the weather. Once Jonah is at sea, he gets swallowed up by a "giant fish". Whoe. Within the corners of the fish's stomach, Jonah prays to his lord. God than tells the fish to vomit out Jonah. Once Jonah was out, he was able to go to Nineveh and finally deliver the message. That message would save Nineveh and rid them of their evil ways. However, Jonah was not happy. Jonah was not happy that God did not punish Nineveh. He wanted Nineveh to fall but God elected to not destroy the city. Jonah throws a fit afterwards.

          Jonah is the featured "Servant of The Weak" because he lacked to show a trait that is extremely important and that is forgiveness. 

          Towards the end of the story, Jonah becomes angry at the Ninevites because he believes that they should just be forsaken for their past ways. Even though he delivered the message, he did not like Nineveh. 

          Jonah didn't care about how the Ninevites came to their senses and repented. He still had the perspective that Nineveh was just plain no-good. He didn't want to give them a second chance.

          But you have to remember, this whole story started with Jonah disobeying God. He refused to preach to Nineveh and he turned his back to the lord. That was the reason he got stuck inside the fish in the first place.

          But God decided to forgive Jonah and save him from being digested. God was showing mercy. God will once again show mercy when he tells Jonah that he isn't going to bring destruction upon the city of Nineveh. 

          Jonah responds by complaining and telling God that he "is angry enough to die". He must really like not Nineveh.

          But the problem that Jonah has is similar to what everybody has, hatred. It's probably safe to say that Jonah hated Nineveh as he wanted the city to be destroyed. Jonah's hatred was what led to his refusal to forgive the Nineveh people. Jonah had a grudge within him that prevented him to let it go. 

          We as Christians have to go by life striving to forgive others. There simply is no use, there simply is no time for anybody to waste their time pondering about how they can't forgive somebody.  That's only going to lead to unnecessary and complications. There really isn't nothing to be mad about once someone says their sorry and agree to change their ways. God made us so that we are all equal and that nobody as more chances nor does anybody has less chances.

          God doesn't play favorites, this is what makes him great. No matter how much power and authority he holds under his command, he will forgive you and offer you a second chance. The generosity that God showed in this story is why God is such a benevolent king and why the quantity of how much he loves us is to another degree.  

          

          

The Lost Son

21" The son said to him, 'Father. I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. "
- Luke 15:21 


Vitals                
Focuses on: Luke 15:11-32
Job Description:  A son who asked his father for his father's wealth and left home to indulge himself
Significant events in worldly position: Came back home 
Aftermath: Had a party held by his father to celebrate his return

Is this person one with desirable traits of a Christian?

          A dad's always looking out for his child. It seems that it doesn't matter how badly his child messes up as the father always seems to forgive his kid's mistakes. 
          A perfect example of this is in Luke 15:11-32, when a boy asked his father for his share of property. The father would grant his son's wishes. The son would than leave home and set off far away to enjoy his newly given riches. It wouldn't be long before a famine hits his current area and  he ends up living in extremely poor conditions. Realizing that he had slipped up, he goes back to his father in hopes that he will be able work for his father. Coming back and taking in the pleasure of being his child again was out of the question in his mind at that point. Little did he know, as soon as his father saw his lost son, he leaped and ran out to welcome his son back. Not only that, he throws a huge banquet just to honor the return of his child. 
          The father in this parable is easily a man of many righteous characteristics. But the "Servant of The Weak" is the son not because of how great of a person he was, but because of how he was able to find it in himself to come back home.  The son demonstrated repentance and desperation, to recognize your undoings and go to who you truly need. In the situation that he was in, suffering would've been inevitable if he would've chose not to return.
          When the son asked his father if he could have his share of the property, it was a huge gesture of disrespect. The son asked for his father's inheritance, which are things given away after one's death. The son asking such a question left a message to his father that his son doesn't care about him. The only thing that the son was interested in was the material belongings that were currently under the possession of his parent. Despite this, the father simply just gave him what he asked for. 
          To add insult to injury, the son would later leave to another country after he got what he wanted. That's two unbelievably horrible acts that a child could ever do to his father. Taking his inheritance and running away. He committed acts that were despicable to immense levels.
          But, as bad as that sounds, all people are like the son at some point in their life. Some more than others, but it's part of human nature to disregard anybody in order to fulfill your personal desires. 
          The son simply did what he wanted and he was able to get away with it. However, once that famine struck, he basically had nothing left. He worked to feed pigs, but he was hungry, he wasn't going anywhere being in where he was. The key was the moment of realization when he came to his senses to come back. He was in a situation where there was really no other option left. He was desperate. 
          His return basically summed up everything. The pivotal point of the son's life was when he cried to his father for forgiveness. Needless to say, his father forgave him and the son was able to live comfortably once again. 
          That's sort of how we are all. We're all in a situation where we have nowhere to go unless somebody saves us. Everybody is born with origins of sin. But it doesn't matter of what we did in the past and how dark it may have been. What's important is that repentance happens because life is filled with situations where we are hopeless by ourselves. We are put into circumstances that render us useless by ourselves.
          We cannot go by living on our own. Sooner or later, we'll all find ourselves placed into a dilemma just like the lost son. 
          What matters isn't about how scornful we had been, what's important is that we learn to call to God for help. It's only than can our prayers be answered. Once you call for help, I guarantee you that the Lord will come to rescue.