“Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise. Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.” — Proverbs 15:31-32
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My father once told me, “Potential is no good if you don’t use it.” At the time, we were watching a ball game together, as we often did, and I remarked about a player with incredible speed who kept dropping the ball when the quarterback threw his way. As the game went on, this player didn’t get his number called to go out on the field because he failed to execute some of the basic instructions he received from coaches, or maybe he didn’t fully listen when his instructor told him to watch the ball into your hands, bring it to your chest after you catch it, and hold tightly with both hands until you hear the whistle to signal the play is complete. Someone could have the potential to be a star, but would have a short NFL career if he fails to be coachable.
In the story of Jonah, we learn the consequences of refusing to listen to God and His messengers. It’s a life lesson for all people in all places and times. Sometimes we’re like Jonah — we don’t always do what’s best for us and we often prefer to do it our own way rather than God’s. If we picture Jonah memorizing Scripture as a little boy and knowing God’s will but not always doing God’s will, we can also probably relate to Jonah and see ourselves in him. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and offer God’s mercy to people he didn’t like, but Jonah refused and went the opposite direction.
“But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). If we read the whole story, we see Jonah’s rebellion almost ruined him. However, Jonah had some time to think in the belly of a whale. He reconsidered and obeyed the second time, and many people’s souls were saved as a result.
The prophet Jonah was one of the most gifted men of God in Old Testament times, but he wasn’t a good listener. He likely heard his spiritual teachers read about loving our neighbor in Leviticus 19, but he only applied the command to people he wanted to. In the mind of God, every person in the world is special and worthy of kindness, love and understanding. If we saw people the way God sees them, then we would share God’s love with them even if they are completely different from us. In the New Testament, Jesus explained that all people are our neighbors, even if they live on the other side of the world.
In Proverbs, we’re instructed to be good listeners and to heed what God told us through our parents and mentors. If we don’t listen well and follow proper guidance, we cause trouble for others and ourselves. “Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise. Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding” (Proverbs 15:31-32). The words of Scripture are intended for practical application in daily life.
Though we don’t always understand God’s ways, rather than going in the opposition direction, we should obey God for the benefit of others, the glory of God and our own good.
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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