Jonah's drama, God's mercy
So, one might think Jonah would get excited when the whole city of Nineveh repented of their violence and false religions. But no. Jonah was ticked off. Why? Because he decided the God was too gracious, too merciful, too patient, and too loving. He certainly didn't think so when he was surrounded by digestive juices! But this was Jonah's problem- and often ours.
We tend to think that God loves us for our sakes. We are good, so God loves us. Evil people aren't worthy of God's love and mercy. Jonah was so mad he said he would be better off dead (again.) We may not go that far, but do we (I absolutely include myself) truly rejoice when God works in a mighty way for someone else? Someone that we don't think deserves it? It's one of the dangers of check-box Christianity: we think that because we perform X, we are more deserving of God's grace and mercy than someone who doesn't.
That's not God's view. God's ways are so much higher than ours that we can't possibly understand His work (Isaiah 55:8-9). Jesus told Peter to focus on his own work and not be in John's business (John 21:22). As believers, our responsibility is to work out (not for) our salvation and do the work he laid out for us individually (Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 2:12-13).
God gave Jonah the object lesson of a plant. When Jonah huffed and puffed his way out of the city, certain that their repentance would be short-lived, God made a plant grow up overnight to give Jonah shade. The plant pleased Jonah, and he sat back to watch the destruction of his enemies. But God then cause the plant to die off and blow away on hot desert winds, which again made Jonah want to die. God then pointed out that Jonah was more interested in the plant than the people of Nineveh. And then we hear no more of Jonah. There isn't an explanation of what happened to him, but he doesn't show up anymore as a prophet.
I have to wonder. If his attitude was that the people of Nineveh did nor deserve God's mercy even AFTER all that God did for him, how could he continue to speak for the Lord? Or maybe he did get himself together and become part of Nineveh's culture, showing them how to worship God. Could be either. Or neither. Eventually Nineveh is destroyed for good, so their repentance didn't endure, but God extended every opportunity. He still does.
For those who are believers, the question remains, are we motivated to do the work God appointed for us to do out of love for the Father or out of duty to some invisible check list? Our attitudes do not keep God from working, but they do prevent us from enjoying His work. I don't know about you, but I would rather be part of God's work cheerfully and experience the joy that comes in walking with Jesus.