Graceless Entitlement

The LORD asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?” – Jonah 4.4, CSB

“Is it right for you to be angry?” It’s a pointed and loaded question that confronts each of us. Some may read it and get even angrier, convinced they can feel and express any emotion they want. Some may read it and then actually think through whether the emotion of anger they feel is justified, deeply pondering the correct response to the question. And admittedly so, some will read it and keep going on with their day. 

Jonah had tried to escape from the presence of the Lord only to be brought back to the Lord by the great fish God appointed to save him. So God spoke for a second time, and his instructions to Jonah were: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach the message that I tell you” (Jonah 3.2, CSB). So Jonah obeyed and went to Nineveh. And here was the message Jonah proclaimed, “In forty days Nineveh will be demolished!” (Jonah 3.4, CSB). That’s it. Seven English words with no explanation of hope or deliverance. 

I wonder if Jonah was excited for this to happen, to see God destroy the people of Nineveh because of how evil they had been and how much others had suffered at their hands. In forty days, he would finally see what Nineveh had coming to it. But instead of Jonah’s message falling on deaf ears, it brought about a city-wide call by the king of Nineveh to humble themselves, fast, and repent from all of their evil ways. And God’s response?

“God saw their actions — that they had turned from their evil ways — so God relented from the disaster he had threatened them with. And he did not do it” (Jonah 3.10, CSB).

And here was Jonah’s response to God’s mercy and compassion toward Nineveh.

Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. He prayed to the LORD, “Please, LORD, isn’t this what I said while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster. And now, LORD, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” – Jonah 4.1-3, CSB

And to this, God asked Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah was upset because God showed grace and compassion toward those whom Jonah hated, the people of Nineveh. Jonah was angry because God acted toward Nineveh according to God’s character that Jonah knew to be true. Jonah was furious that God stayed faithful. However, Jonah forgot about the grace and compassion God showed to him just before this. Jonah was ready to see a whole “great city” of people destroyed by God, while being a recipient of the same saving grace and compassion. Jonah sat on the east side of Nineveh only because God graciously appointed a great fish to be Jonah’s disguised deliverance. Jonah deserved God’s wrath as much as the people of Nineveh. His hatred for others caused him to be blinded to being a recipient of God’s undeserved favor.

So, is it right for us to be angry? Do we justify our anger toward people who are different? Do we preach about the grace of God while not extending it? Do we publicly thank God for his mercy toward us while secretly begging God to “demolish” those who don’t believe the same way we do or vote the same way we do? Have we forgotten what we were like before we experienced God’s gracious intervention?

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. – Ephesians 2.1-3, CSB

Graceless entitlement moves us away from truly appreciating God’s grace and mercy. Instead of walking in humility before God and others, we walk with a sense of arrogance and privilege. We begin to picture God seeing others the way we see them and, therefore, feeling justified to continue in our unforgiveness and unconfessed hatred. We build walls between us and them instead of crossing the barriers to introduce them to the grace and mercy found in Jesus. We think of ourselves first and others second, if at all. Instead of having hearts that yearn and break for those without Christ, we wage war against them. We approach the Scriptures with an agenda instead of hearts submitted to our King Jesus with our lives pledged in allegiance solely to the values of his kingdom. 

But grace-filled and humble-soaked gratitude to God for his grace and mercy causes us to worship him. We walk before him, knowing we are forgiven and reconciled to him only through and because of Jesus. We change our habits and ways of living to align with the values of God’s kingdom. We passionately share Jesus with everyone, and pray with and for everyone, regardless of their lifestyles or agendas. We generously care for those in need, wanting to be used by God in his care for others. Our convictions are shaped, challenged, and molded by the Holy Spirit through Scripture instead of tainted by our personal agendas or opinions. We hold to what God declares to be true, again according to his Scriptures, but share that truth with others with grace and compassion, not bending in conviction but being willing to humble ourselves in service to others who don’t believe us. We live out true compassion and grace toward others because we recognize and are constantly reminded of God’s compassion and grace toward us. We unapologetically stand out as different from others because the power and presence of the Holy Spirit have changed us. And while we will be hated for this, just like Jesus told us, we in return love those who hate and persecute us. And then, when we see people come to surrender to Jesus and enter into fellowship with God, we celebrate. We don’t hold their pasts over them but walk with them in the same God-given forgiveness we undeservedly received as we teach them to obey all that Jesus has commanded.

So, here is my prayer before God after my time alone with him working through this. I’m not expecting this to be everyone’s prayer, but one I offer to him. If you can agree with it, then say amen with me.

Father, would you once again flood me with a deep awareness of how much you have rescued me from? Please remind me how much compassion and grace you have lavished on me, so I am transformed, by your Holy Spirit, into your agent of reconciliation. Please forgive me for the barriers I have built up in my life toward some who staunchly stand against you. I want to be your servant, grace-fully driven toward everyone with the message of your gracious and beautiful gospel. I want every one of my own thoughts and opinions to be destroyed. Instead, I want every thought and opinion to be founded only on the truth of your word. I want to peer deeply into the pure truth of your Scriptures and live accordingly. Please reveal to me anything that causes me to see your truth through the lenses of unconfessed sin or unacknowledged and ignored hurt and brokenness. Please renew my passion for people to hear your gospel and surrender to Jesus. Please help me be an agent of your reconciliation. Thank you for your unfailing and never-ending love. Thank you for your faithfulness to me as you work in me to will and to act according to your good purpose. Thank you for your help as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling. Thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for the beauty of confession and repentance. Thank you for being my Lord and my God. I love you more than you know.