Lord Give Me A Merciful Heart
by Dan Jones, M.D.
Jonah 4:10-11
But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"
This great book of Jonah is closed with God instructing Jonah about his mercy to undeserving people. It is a hard lesson. God points out that Jonah’s anger about the vine being taken away is inappropriate. God asked Jonah what he had done to deserve or earn the vine. Of course, he had done nothing to deserve it. God, out of his mercy for an undeserving Jonah had provided it. And in order for Jonah to learn this lesson about God’s mercy, God had removed the vine.
God helped Jonah see he had been consumed with anger about God’s taking the vine from him, though he did not deserve the mercy of the vine. But Jonah had been uncaring and uncompassionate over the potential destruction of the many people of Nineveh. In fact, he had been a cheerleader for their destruction.
God wanted Jonah to see that just as God’s mercy is great toward us, He wants us to have merciful hearts toward others. God had asked Jonah to do something to help these undeserving people of Nineveh. He wanted Jonah to help them with a spirit of mercy toward them.
As health professionals God places in our lives many people who are difficult to love and undeserving. And he intends for us to show mercy and love for them, just as He did with the undeserving of Nineveh. Just as Jonah’s human nature made him resent God for asking this of him, this command from God to love the unlovable is difficult for us. But it is what God expects of us every day.
Lord, protect me from the heart of Jonah concerned only about myself. Give me a merciful and loving heart toward those who seem undeserving in the eyes of the world.
Dan Jones, M.D., MACP, FAHA, a board-certified Internist, a former medical missionary to Korea, professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Dean of the School of Medicine, and Chancellor of the University of Mississippi until 2015. Dr. Dan Jones is a member of CMDA.
Dr. Jones welcomes any comments or questions about what he has written and can be reached at - djones@umc.edu
Rounds with the Master, Spiritual Pearls from the Great Physician Devotionals are released every Monday and Thursday.
