The book of Jonah

January 8, 2021 ~ Brianne Turczynski

“You have been concerned about this plant [providing you shade], though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:10-11)
Jonah loved a single leaf that was providing him shade while he sat back to watch what would become of the evil city of Nineveh, but he sat idly by while a worm ate up the leaf he loved. How stupid, right? Well God explains that God too, loved the people of Nineveh, so how can God sit idly by and watch a “worm” (evil) eat it up? God sent Jonah, a prophet, to relay God’s message to the king of Nineveh, but Jonah disliked the people of the city so much he escaped this call, in which case he was brought back to the city in a whale’s mouth.
The story of Jonah is so charming and cute! Though it is meant to be looked at as an allegorical tale, I think it shows God’s sense of humor, and that God will stop at nothing, when God calls, to show us what our calling is. Not only that, but it proves that God’s call for us is to help each other see God, recognize God, and know that God loves us no matter who or what we are/were. And its message says that we are to help those we dislike. Even those who storm the capital because of their “confusion”. How can you help someone see God today, tomorrow, etc.?

Published by Brianne Turczynski

I'm a freelance writer and historical researcher in Detroit. I hold a master’s degree in education from Oakland University with a concentration in English and history. In addition to being the author of the historical fiction novel, Proper Mourning, my fiction and poetry have appeared in Halcyone Magazine, The 3288 Review, The Write Launch, and the Ketchup Press. My nonfiction has been featured in Valley Living Magazine, Michigan Out of Doors Magazine, and Planet Detroit News. I have won awards for my writing through Oakland University, and I'm currently producing and directing a documentary film about economic and social change in one of Detroit’s oldest neighborhoods. In my spare time, I whittle, repair broken violins, and I love to fish. I reside somewhere in Michigan with my husband, children, and the fastest dog that ever lived. View all posts by Brianne Turczynski

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