A Plant for Jonah’s Shade

The Story

Jonah had finally preached in Nineveh. The whole city repented, and God decided not to destroy it.

And Jonah was furious. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. He didn’t want God to forgive the Ninevites. They were Israel’s cruel enemies. Jonah told God he’d rather die than live.

Then he went out of the city, built himself a little shelter, and sat down to see if God might destroy Nineveh after all.

The sun beat down on him. And “the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head.” A leafy vine grew up overnight and gave him shade. Jonah was delighted.

But the next morning, God sent a worm to chew the plant, and it withered. Then God sent a hot east wind. The sun blazed on Jonah’s head until he felt faint, and again he said he wanted to die.

God asked him, “Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?” You’re upset about a plant you didn’t plant or grow. Shouldn’t I care about a city of more than 120,000 people who don’t know right from left?

Reflection