Is God’s concern our concern too? He is more concerned about the salvation of people than anything else. God had made it very clear when He spoke to Jonah.
God gave him a second chance to preach (Jonah 3:1, 2). Jonah did so. But in his heart he did not want the Ninevites to be shown mercy by God. The reason was simple. The Ninevites were a cruel group of men who were the enemies of Israel. Jonah could not accept the fact that God would show mercy to the enemies of Israel. But even to them God wanted to show mercy. Indeed they were shown mercy when the entire city repented and humbled themselves before God at Jonah’s preaching.
Even after he had preached to the people of city, Jonah expected them not to repent but to perish as he had preached. He did not want God to show compassion to these people. That is the reason why God taught him an object lesson through the vine and the worm He had provided.
God provided a vine for Jonah to give shade for his head. But at dawn the next day, God provided a worm which chewed the vine so that it withered. And then the sun blazed on Jonah’s head. His discomfort was great as there was a scorching east wind too. As a result Jonah grew faint and he wanted to die.
Then God asked him whether he had a right to be angry. To this replied that he had a right to be angry and that was even reason enough to die.
God then told Jonah that Jonah was concerned about the vine though he did not tend it or make it grow. It had only a day’s life. Then God said, “But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (Jonah 4:11 NIV).
So God’s concern is clear. He wants people to be saved, however wicked they are. (Ezekiel 8:23). And God gave Jesus because He so loved the world (John 3:16). What is your response to it? Do you have the same concern for this world. It was for all people that the good news came (Luke 2:10). It was for all people that Jesus shed His blood and died. Do you share the concern of God? Do you have a longing in your heart for all people to be saved?
Or are you more concerned about things of this world which do not have lasting value?