If a big fish swallows you, don't panic.

I saw a program the other day which discussed the need that children have for real life heroes, such as their own parents. In thinking about it, I concluded that adults also need heroes. That is one of the things I like about Jonah. He is not a basically flawed, lacking-in-principles character that because of some noble act becomes a hero; rather he is basically a good man who tries everyday to do the right thing. That is why when he makes a wrong choice (such as fleeing to Tarshish rather than going to Nineveh) he has to justify to himself that what he is doing is the right thing, rather than just refusing to do what is right simply because he doesn’t want to. I think this desire, although it is misguided at times, is what saves him. He really wanted to be a good man and so God sent a big fish and got him back on track. I can relate to that. There have been times when external circumstances ‘saved’ me from a wrong choice that I had justified was, if not ‘good,’ then at least ‘ok.’ Perhaps God was sending me a big fish.