Mirror, Mirror.

But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?"
"I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die." Jonah 4:9

There is a joke about an older couple on a long car trip. On the way they stop to get lunch. When they get back on the road after about an hour the woman realizes she has left her glasses and tells her husband who is driving. He turns around and on the way back to the restaurant lectures her about responsibility. When they arrive back at the restaurant he says: “While you are in there can you get my hat?” As Christians, we are sometimes very quick to point out the failings of others but ignore the hypocrisy in our actions.

Jonah ran from God when instructed to go to Nineveh. After his encounter with the great fish compelled him to be obedient he did as God asked and went to Nineveh, warning them that God was going to destroy them. After Jonah warned the city as God had instructed, he became angry when God did not destroy them. God could have destroyed Jonah as soon as Jonah showed his disobedience by running away. Even after God didn’t kill Jonah for his disobedience, he could have let him drown when he hit the water after being cast into it by his shipmates. Yet, even though God spared Jonah, he became angry that God spared the inhabitants of Nineveh. So many times we stand with stones in our hands ready to throw them at others caught in sin and disgraced by public failings while our own shortcomings lay safely hidden in our upstairs closets. As Christians we must develop the discipline to consider ours shortcomings before condemning others.

Pray today to that God’s mercy extended to us will soften our attitudes towards others.

Deacon Larry Woodard