More Than Just The Perfect Pizza
"The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 'Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.'" - Jon 3:1
It’s a well known fact among my friends that I have a lot of opinions. And it’s a well known fact that I’m made fun of because of it. It’s usually stupid things - like what makes a perfect pizza. Don’t get me started!
But when it comes to confrontation about more important things, I find any excuse I can to not have an opinion out loud – or, for someone to have one about me.
While praying with Jonah in the readings today, I was struck by the magnitude of his call: “Walk around and tell people they’ll be destroyed unless they change their lives.”
Neat.
But the thing is, Jonah has personal experience with being asked to do something difficult. And he knows the invitation is from God. He’s not doing it for himself. And then, crazy enough, people listen.
It’s a miserable thing to tell a friend something they don’t want to hear. Or to hear from a friend, or God, something we don’t want to hear. This is tough stuff.
Jonah has the advantage of God telling him the literal words he should say. But many of us (me) don’t hear God speaking that neatly. But maybe what I do hear is an invitation to listen to the quieter nudging inside – maybe it would be good to open a conversation about something difficult with someone I love when it feels like an invitation from Love to give love. It’s not really about me.
And similar to Jonah, my approach is an invitation, not a wrangling or forcing.
It’s worth noticing that it takes a long time for Jonah to find this courage. He’s not into it at first - hopping on the first boat he can find to escape. He’s then swallowed by a large fish and subsequently vomited (literally the word used) out before he speaks up.
I feel God’s invitation to speak up about more things than perfect pizza. And to listen when others speak up to me. But that invitation is coming from a place of love rather than guilt or fear.
Are there conversations you’re avoiding these days, despite God’s gentle nudge or invitation? Are you avoiding difficult invitations from those who love you? Lord, give us the courage and confidence of Jonah to both listen and to speak in response to your invitation of love.
Teresa Nygard