When God Gives Grace | Missionary Rodney Huffty
Jonah was given a simple but harsh message: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” No explanation. No invitation. Just impending doom. It’s hard to imagine a sermon less inspiring.
And yet, the city of Nineveh—the capital of one of the most brutal and violent empires in history—responded immediately. From the greatest to the least, everyone repented. The king took off his royal robes, covered himself in sackcloth, and called for a citywide fast. Even the animals weren’t allowed to eat or drink as a sign of mourning.
They didn’t ask for proof. They didn’t demand a sign. They simply believed. Jonah should have been overjoyed. But instead, he was furious. Read Jonah 4.
Truth Without Grace is Condemnation
Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he knew exactly how God would respond. “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” (Jonah 4:2)
Jonah wasn’t afraid of failure—he was afraid of success. He wanted Nineveh to be destroyed. He wanted God to judge them, not forgive them.
And if we’re honest, sometimes we have the same mindset.
- We demand justice for their sins but mercy for ours.
- We expect repentance from them but grace for ourselves.
- We are quick to call out others’ wrongdoing but slow to acknowledge our own.
The problem isn’t truth. Truth is necessary. Sin is real, and ignoring it doesn’t make it disappear. But truth without grace is condemnation. It leaves no room for redemption. It turns the message of hope into a message of hopelessness.
Jesus never ignored sin. But He also never wielded truth like a weapon. He didn’t stand on the sidelines, shouting at sinners. He ate with them. He healed them. He wept for them.
That’s why John 1:14 describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth.” Not 50% grace and 50% truth—fully both. This is the balance we struggle to maintain.
Grace Without Truth is Compromise
Some of us swing too far in the other direction. We emphasize God’s love but avoid talking about sin. We’re afraid of sounding judgmental, so we say things like:
- “God loves you just the way you are,” but never mention that He calls us to change.
- “We’re all broken,” but leave out the part about repentance and transformation.
But grace without truth isn’t love—it’s enablement. If Jesus had only been about grace, He wouldn’t have told people to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). If He had only been about truth, He wouldn’t have invited sinners to follow Him before they had it all together.
We aren’t called to choose between grace and truth. We are called to embody both.
God’s Mercy Is For Everyone—Even Those We Dislike
Jonah’s anger reveals something uncomfortable: sometimes, we don’t want certain people to receive God’s mercy.
Who do you struggle to see as redeemable?
- The person who hurt you?
- The political leader you oppose?
- The criminals, the corrupt, the unfaithful?
It’s easy to say, “God loves everyone.” It’s harder to accept that His love includes the people we dislike or even despise.
We all have someone we feel doesn’t deserve God’s mercy. But that’s the whole point of grace—it’s undeserved. If grace was something people earned, it wouldn’t be grace at all.
Jesus made this clear in Luke 6:32-36:
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. But love your enemies, do good to them… Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
God doesn’t have categories of people He wants to save. His heart is for everyone, including those we find hardest to love.
Jonah Sat in Bitterness—Jesus Wept with Compassion
Jonah’s story doesn’t end with celebration. Instead of rejoicing over Nineveh’s repentance, he goes outside the city and sulks. He waits, hoping God will still destroy them.
Contrast that with Jesus. In Luke 19:41, as Jesus approached Jerusalem—knowing the city would reject Him—He wept. He didn’t rejoice in their coming destruction. He longed for their repentance.
Jonah sat outside Nineveh, waiting for judgment. Jesus sat outside Jerusalem, weeping for its salvation. Which heart do you have?
The Hardest Question: How Do You See Others?
It’s easy to read Jonah’s story and judge him. But if we’re not careful, we can be just like him.
Take a moment and ask yourself:
- Do I secretly want some people to face God’s judgment instead of His mercy?
- Do I celebrate when people repent—or do I feel bitter when God forgives those I dislike?
- Do I share truth with love—or do I use truth as a weapon?
- Do I extend grace—or do I avoid hard conversations about sin?
Jonah wanted punishment. Jesus offered redemption. Which heart do you have?