But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” (NIV)

"No fair, no fair!" has become my toddler's favorite refrain recently, like when I ask him to do simple, part-of-life tasks like wash his hands or go to bed. And I get it, because often, our idea of justice is so different than how things actually shake out in this life. Sometimes that's because of evil in our world, but sometimes we're just yelling no fair at a God whose justice is perfect and whose mercy is far greater than we could ever fathom.

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This is Jonah's story, too. Most people remember the big fish with Jonah, but his story as recorded in Scripture ends much more like toddler drama than the intense aquatic rescue scene we're most familiar with. See, post-fish, Jonah finally agrees to go to Nineveh and call for repentance before Yahweh. But here's what he never expected: it actually works. This city known for its heinous war crimes and evil practices (basically, the ISIS of their day) does repent. And, wildly, God extends his mercy, even to them.

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We pick up at the beginning of chapter four: "But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry." He turns God's character around on him in an attempt to explain away his actions, and he asks God to end his life because he can't bear to see God extend mercy to these people.  

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But God's simple response cuts through Jonah's self-righteous, ego-centric tantrum: "Is it right for you to be angry?" he asks. Is it right that you, Jonah, to whom I have extended extreme mercy, would call no fair when I extend this same mercy to your enemies? Is that really justice, Jonah?  

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This moment reminds me of the parable Jesus tells about workers laboring in a vineyard for varying amounts of time one day. Those who worked the longest get salty when those who showed up with an hour left in the workday get the same pay! No fair, they say. And frankly, I'd agree!  

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However, the landowner in the parable, representing God, has a different economy in mind than we do most of the time or than Jonah did. In Matthew 20:13-15 the landowner says, "I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?"

Are you envious because I am generous. This was Jonah's complaint, and I wonder, has it ever been yours before, too? As we go out to serve and love others this weekend, and as we hopefully walk in this same posture every day, we may catch ourselves disliking how the Lord doles out his mercy and generosity.  

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We may think they don't deserve it. We may think they are abusing our generosity. We may find ourselves thinking, even if it's quietly, no fair.

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But here is the mantra I imagine God gently chiding me with when these kind of self-righteous thoughts rise up in my heart: Kimber, you get enough.

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Jonah, you have received so much of my mercy already.

Workers, you have already received all you need.

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Is it right for you to be angry? Are you envious because I am generous with my grace?

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Friend, by the power of the Spirit in us and in full view of Jesus' saving work, we can give, love, and serve freely today because of the overflowing grace of God we have received. We get more than enough. And from that place, we can pour out God's grace on our neighbors without reservation or hesitation.

Father God, thank you for the boundless grace you have poured out on me. Convict me when I feel envious of your generosity and remind me that in you, Jesus, I always get more than enough of your love and mercy. Give me your eyes, ears, and heart to be wildly generous to those I encounter each day, in your name, Jesus. Amen.