Body language often speaks volumes over our words!
Have you ever known anyone that offered a begrudging hug to someone? Sometimes this happens out of embarrassment. My 4-year-old grandson get so embarrassed he slides up to you backwards and lets you hug him from behind! Sometimes I have encountered folks who give half-hearted hugs. They don’t seem to really care if the hug is given or not! Or what about a stiff handshake? Especially during the pandemic, we were such germ-aphobs, not wanting to shake the hand of the other. But then someone extended a hand in expectation and the other reluctantly shook the hand. Or have you ever experienced anyone to give a complement through gritted teeth?
Sometimes it is not just our body language that lets people know our truest feelings. On occasion we find ourselves or others leaving more and more time between visits in the relationship. Or there is an unequal balance in the relationship, that is one side always traveling to see the other, and the other doesn’t make any effort to keep the relationship strong.
The Scripture
This day we hear of one stubborn, reluctant person who willfully does the wrong thing. And then finally does the right things, but with a wrong heart. The book of JONAH is a story filled with much more than big fish stories!
The man JONAH is a prime example of our human condition. Our imperfect humanness may cause us to experience complex emotions when trying to live our lives and turn to God.
The wonder for this day is how far is God willing, desiring to go, to love folks into new ways of life? And how far do humans go on occasion to resist the penetrating love of God?
Throughout the book of JONAH, a dance is being lived between God and JONAH. Here are a few examples of this dance:
When God calls Jonah, Jonah runs away! God was furious that Jonah took to the sea to escape responsibility of faith and follow God’s call. Jonah begrudgingly affirmed God’s steadfast compassion and forgiveness. God’s anger subsided. Jonah reluctantly went to Nineveh and called the folks to repent. ALL people, all ages, and stages of life, gender, condition of life repented. God repented from destroying the Ninevites. Jonah was furious. Jonah left without a word and went outside of the city. No longer angry, God glimpsed the goodness of Jonah and seeks to lead Jonah away from his anger. This is where our Scripture for today begins.
Jonah chapter 4 provides a sustained focus on the phenomenon of anger! Jonah is not just a little bit mad. He was inflamed with rage in the heart, body, soul. The text uses the phrase “burning of the nostrils” to describe this deep-felt anger. This phrase tells a deep truth about the human condition! Our anger can have physical manifestations.
Through the conversation of Chapter 4, Jonah was invited to reflect on the meaning or value of anger. And Jonah was invited to relinquish it.
Today’s Prayer Practice
- Have you ever experienced anyone REALLY, REALLY ANGRY?
- Have you, yourself, ever been inflamed with anger?
The reality is that we have emotions. Sometimes very strong emotions. Sometimes, like Jonah, we are in discriminant with our emotions. Jonah was angry at Nineveh. He was angry at God. Jonah was angry when the plant for which he did not toil and was raised for him out of grace withered and was eaten by a worm. It did not matter for Jonah if it was a little thing, or a big thing – Jonah’s response to the circumstance was anger!
Sometimes anger just flares us regardless of the situation. When this happens it discloses more about the one that is angry – the inside of their character and tendencies than it does one’s dedication to a cause or an unjust situation. What I mean by unjust cause or circumstance – maybe we get angry at the gun violence, political environment, human trafficking, child abuse, . . . Indiscriminate anger is one’s way of response – no matter what the topic or experience is.
This story showed Jonah’s anger was so foundational in his life, that he would rather die than live through any life situation! This attitude – either intentional or unintentional had Jonah stuck! Jonah’s anger manifested his narcissism and egotism which was laid right beside God’s mercy, compassion, and love for humanity.
Jonah was rising self-interest above God. This text shows us and Jonah a journey of faith. It shows a human wrestling with the demonic and the Divine. And at that moment, Jonah could not distinguish between the two. Jonah held fast to his anger and insists on death. Anger always leads to destruction.
God did not want to leave Jonah in that state – just as God did not want to leave and Ninevites to the destruction of their poor choices. God in God’s immense compassion took Jonah on a path to discovery and gave Jonah an opportunity to move through and beyond his anger.
God began spiritual direction with Jonah – that is asking Jonah questions to assist in leading him into deepened understanding of relationship with God and release of his own human tendencies to hold onto that which leads to death. God knows that when anger is repressed or suppressed it burns within the heart and body of the one holding fast to resentment, and anger.
We are left on a cliff hanger. Will Jonah choose blessing and life or anger and death?
EXAMEN
- What might we be missing by focusing on our own perspective, our own desires, as we stubbornly cling to emotions, insisting it is our way or the highway, at the exclusion of God’s compassion, justice, and love?
- Are there groups of people, like the Ninevites for Jonah, that we lack compassion for?
- Consider a time when you experienced anger – a time when you were REALLY, REALLY angry. How did or is God led/leading you through a journey of discovery to relinquish your anger and live from God’s compassion?
- After your Examen, celebrate God’s goodness.
May God lead us on the faith journey of discovery – so that we may be freed from all that holds us back from living God’s greater love, mercy, compassion, and justice.
Enjoy Praying.
