selfish Archives – Sonshine's Journal

Jonah 1-4 Jonah is not only a Hebrew but also a Hebrew who worships the Lord, the God of heaven. Yet, Jonah is a picture of the selfish racial condemnation of others. God said in Isaiah, who will go for us and Isaiah said, “send me.” Yet, Jonah hearing that same call turns a blind eye and says, “send another, not me.” Does this sound familiar? Do we have excuses why we do not say “send me?” Look within and see why we take a ship to Tarshish and sleep away the opportunities God has placed before us. We are the Jonahs of today with our plethora of excuses.

Yet as the Psalmist said, “The Lord is merciful and fair; our God is compassionate.” [Ps 116:5] He will not relent when He has a plan to send men/women to the lost fields of Nineveh to bring them hope and the message of salvation. He may send a fish or a neighbor, or another believer to accost us in our tracks and redirect us to the lost. God is the antithesis of Jonah, and we are to be His messengers of hope as He is the God of hope.

Where is God directing you this day? To whom will you bring the message of God’s love and hope?

1Samuel 25 to 28 Today’s COVID-19 is yesterday’s Nabal’s. Today many who go to the market but find the shelves bare and the person in front of you has the last package of toilet paper. Tempers rise, and the next thing you witness is a free-for-all in words and actions. This is Nabal to a ‘t.’

Sometimes God sets out to protect his own even when they don’t think they need it. While David is caring for Nabal’s sheep, the fool Nabal cares only for his roll of ‘tp.’ He is a fool and selfish. Nabal refuses to bless David for caring for his sheep. When David’s men return with a ‘no’ answer, he makes a rash vow to rid the planet of Nabal just because he wouldn’t share. That is when God steps in sends in His cavalry in the most unexpected form: Abigail, who is “wise and beautiful.” She had planned for such a time as this and quickly prepared dinner for David and his men. While David is grumbling about Nabal, God is preparing a feast to humble him. It was Abigail’s plea that opened his eyes.

Back home, Nabal is feasting on his foolish response. But, God did not forget, and Abigail wisely said nothing until Nabal was sober. In the morning, Abigail tells Nabal that she provided dinner for David and his crew. Like Eli, Nabal had a stroke; dying ten days later. He had plenty to share, but it was his wife that got the glory.

There are lessons for us: share while you have plenty, be careful of your words; you may have to eat them. God uses the most unexpected person or persons to humble us when we fail to consult him.

Tag: selfish

Will you go?

Are you a fool like Nabal?