“Do You Do Well to Be Angry?”
Isn’t it amazing how the Lord sends you to just the Scripture you need at just the time you need it?
I was revisiting Jonah today, and that short book of the Bible, written almost three thousand years ago, is the perfect book to guide my heart right now in the midst of the political wrangling going on about the election, the Supreme Court, and a host of other divisive issues. The grief that many are feeling for what we see on the news is not always bringing out the best in us. Reading Jonah today, I felt the Lord was coaching me on how to be a better living testimony to the nonbelievers around me and to be a better member of the Body. I long to grow in both of those areas, so I treasure the counsel He gave me today.
Jonah had a very strong opinion of who he was and of who the Ninevites were. To be fair to Jonah, the enormity of the sin in Ninevah and the horrible depravity of it were so great that a child of God could not miss it. The Lord shined a light into my dark heart and convicted me that many members of the Christian community, including me, were like Jonah. Democrats and Republicans are horrified at the values, sins, and policies of the other. The sin He revealed to me today was not that of a party; it was the sin of my heart for not loving others well. The Lord never told Jonah to accept the sinful behavior of the Ninevites, but He was disappointed in Jonah’s refusal to love these sinners as God Himself had loved them when He spared them.
When the Ninevites clearly and publicly repented, one would have thought that Jonah would have rejoiced that his obedience had resulted in drawing these sinners back to the Lord, but he was furious. He was furious because he wanted to make the point he was so right all along and he was furious because he thought they were terrible, undeserving people. Seeing Jonah’s hateful response, the Lord says, “Do you do well to be angry?” It is clear that Jonah feels justified in his lack of love for these people.
At times, I believe He surely has been disappointed with me in my resistance to love those whose political views are not Biblically based. Like Jonah, I have a strong sense of identity in who I am as an American and as a Christian and of what my views are. That may be fine as long as I don’t lose the ability to love, as Jesus does, those who think differently or even wrongly. Any hint of condescension, moral superiority, or belittling does not describe a heart like His. We can see right and wrong as black and white. We should not divide people into groups of good and bad. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” He came for each of us “while we were yet sinners.”
And I confess, that I take my desire to be so right too far. Here is what I do. I start with a Biblical reason for seeing error in the other political party’s platform or position. Then I get passionate and not meek about it. Then I gather evidence that I am so right. Now I am in the throes of full blown pride, but wait; there’s more. Then I add the sin of condemnation of the people holding that position. I am feeling Cain-like feelings toward certain visible advocates of these positions and not mourning the sin that has taken hold of their hearts and minds. This is not a case of hating what God hates; that is allowed. This is my working myself into an intemperate state of condemnation and fanning the flames of a critical nature. This is my momentarily seeing these people as irredeemable Ninevites, though I know no one is beyond redemption. I am judging the person, a role reserved for God Himself and certainly not for me.
I want to be like my friend Nancy. At a wonderful seminar last weekend led by Charlotte Travis on “Abiding in Perilous Times,” Nancy confessed publicly and humbly that she wanted to have a mind and an outlook more like the Father’s toward political outcomes and about what is going on in our culture. Her confession was sincere, deeply repentant, and beautiful. Don’t ever hesitate to confess among Christians like that, because someone like me may be struggling with the same sins and needs to hear that.
I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit hit me hard with a 1-2-3 knockout punch this week, including Nancy’s confession, a Bible study reading on Jonah, and the strong conviction that something was terribly wrong in my heart toward those who hold sinful beliefs. I thank Him that He reminded me that we all have Ninevite-level sin in our hearts at times, especially me. I pray that God will put our political opponents on my heart to pray for sincerely and fervently. I pray I will learn from Jonah’s story and will one day rejoice at the repentance of these sinners as I see them return to the Lord and the principles in His Word.
And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” Jonah 4:4
This is Part Two on Unity.