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Jonah's Second Chance
Brian Mashburn
October 28, 2018
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Getting "Another Chance"
There is an old European proverb that says: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
There is an idea being captured here that says once someone makes a mistake in some arena of character - be it trustworthiness, reliability, integrity, responsiveness, perseverance, or obedience - you can pretty much assume that they will not change. So, if you decide to "give them another chance," and they burn you again, well, that is on you. It is no longer their foolishness that you are suffering from, but your own.
There are many people who will not give others a second chance. They say, "Look, you messed me over, so good luck with everything, but I'm writing you off."
It is understandable, really. Advisable even, sometimes. After all, you can be forgiving of someone and still need to put up boundaries that guard your heart from those who have proven untrustworthy.
That is why what we learn next about God, in the story of Jonah, is all the more amazing. See, God honored Jonah by inviting him into a world-changing, powerful Kingdom assignment. As a prophet, you would think that is exactly what he would want! To be used by God. But he resists and rebels. In chapter 1, he lets God down.
Then in chapter 3, after God disciplined him in chapter 2, it says "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time." The Hebrew word translated "a second time" means "again". God. Called. Jonah. Again.
Perhaps it IS foolish when you expect a different outcome from a person when you give them a second chance. But God, foolish or not (and I suspect not), is the God who comes to you again. No matter how you''ve burned Him. He is coming for you again.