Jonah was not happy. He had been asked to do something that he really didn’t want to do. But this was no ordinary request from a neighbor or total stranger. It was a command from God!

How do you react when someone doesn’t do the things you asked them to? Like at a restaurant when your food arrives and it isn’t made like you ordered. How do you feel when you ask your spouse or kids to do something and then they don’t do it? What do you do when a co-worker drags their feet and fails to do what you’ve asked?

God wanted Jonah to go to the wicked people of Nineveh and give them a chance to repent and turn to Him. God has a heart for the world—He loves every people, every nation. Jonah didn't want to go. He chose to run away, trying to get as far from God and Nineveh as possible.

It is easy for us to want quick judgment and justice for those who do us wrong. We might even rejoice and cheer God’s judgment against Jonah for disobeying His commands, yet we may be more like Jonah than we care to admit.

Think for a moment about how you react when someone asks you to do something that you don’t want to do. Depending on the situation, maybe you’ll say “No” or “I’ll think about it”. Perhaps you smile politely and say “Yes” but then grumble, delay, or avoid doing it altogether. What do you do when it’s God who’s asking?

Like Jonah, our human nature makes it easy for us to become reluctant servants—not willing to do the very things that God has told us to do. Then, like Jonah, we quickly beg for mercy when we end up in the belly of a whale.

Jesus taught us many things. He said that everything could be summed up with the two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart” and “Love others as yourself.”

Jesus’ last words in the Gospel of Matthew include the command to “Go and make disciples of all nations...”

We still have an enormous task to complete. More than 3.2 billion people (42% of the world’s population) are still considered to be unreached. We need believers to stop running away from God’s calling and joyfully go out as workers into the harvest. God wants everyone to experience His forgiveness and the hope of eternal life with Him.

I don’t know what God is asking you to do. I do pray that He will give you the strength you need for each step and fill you with His grace so that you do not become a reluctant servant.

May you find joy in serving Jesus as you walk with Him today.