When Mercy Makes You Mad – September 21, 2026
Read: Jonah 3:10–4:11
The LORD replied [to Jonah], “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4:4
When Mercy Makes You Mad
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jonah was acting like a baby. He sat outside Nineveh on the desert sand, crossed his arms, and pouted. He was angry that God had spared the city. Jonah hated the people of Nineveh. They belonged to a nation known for treating its enemies cruelly. That’s why he ran away all those months before when God called him to preach to the people of Nineveh. He knew they might turn away from their sins and seek God’s mercy.
And Jonah knew what God would do—what God always does when people tell him they are sorry for their sins. He forgives sinners who turn to him for mercy. And Jonah didn’t want that. He wanted God to destroy Nineveh.
As Jonah sat in the hot sun, God caused a huge, leafy plant to give him shade. Jonah appreciated the cool shade and started feeling better. But then God sent a worm to chew the plant, so it withered and died.
Again, Jonah crossed his arms and pouted. “Jonah,” God said, “you have been concerned about the plant that grew one day and died the next. Shouldn’t I be concerned about the 120,000 people living in Nineveh?” Jonah cared more about losing his comfortable shade than he did about thousands of people who needed God’s mercy.
You see, God loves all people. He wants everyone to believe in him and be saved. And he wants us to love everyone—even our enemies and those who treat us badly. That’s hard to do. But God did not stop loving us when we were his enemies. He sent Jesus to save us. Remembering that love helps us love people who are hard to love.
Loving our enemies does not mean pretending that evil is acceptable or that wrongdoing should have no consequences. We can ask God and earthly authorities for justice without seeking revenge or wanting anyone to be eternally lost.
Don’t be a Jonah who wanted his enemies destroyed! Love your enemies. Pray for those who are mean to you. And when mercy makes you mad, remember the mercy God has shown you!
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for loving me and showing me mercy through Jesus. Help me love my enemies, pray for them, and want them to know your saving love. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
- Was Jonah happy or angry when God spared Nineveh?
- Does God want us to love only our friends or even our enemies?
Questions for Elementary Age Children
- Why is it so hard to love and pray for those who are mean to us?
- In what ways are we hard to love?
Questions for Middle School and Above
- Jonah cared more about his shade plant than about the people of Nineveh. What comforts or preferences might we care about more than people who need Jesus?
- If God wants us to love our enemies and pray that they will be saved, is it wrong to want justice for people who do evil? Explain your answer.
