Take as a Pattern the Prophets—Jonah
1. What positive qualities did Jonah possess?
1 What comes to mind when you think of the prophet Jonah? Some may view him as cowardly or hard-hearted. However, he clearly manifested humility, courage, and a spirit of self-sacrifice. How can we “take as a pattern” Jonah’s admirable qualities?—Jas. 5:10.
2. How can we imitate Jonah’s humility?
2 Humility: Initially, Jonah fled in the opposite direction of his assigned territory. This is not surprising because the Assyrians were notoriously violent, and Nineveh came to be called “the city of bloodshed.” (Nah. 3:1-3) Nonetheless, Jehovah disciplined Jonah, who showed humility by accepting the assignment when given a second chance. (Prov. 24:32; Jonah 3:1-3) Despite his initial reluctance, he did Jehovah’s will. (Matt. 21:28-31) Are we similarly determined to preach the good news, even if we are disciplined or have a challenging territory assignment?
3. What aspects of your ministry require courage and self-sacrifice?
3 Courage and Self-Sacrifice: When Jonah realized that his bad decision had jeopardized the lives of the mariners, he was willing to sacrifice his life. (Jonah 1:3, 4, 12) Later, when fulfilling his commission in Nineveh, he walked deep into the heart of the city, perhaps looking for a suitable location to proclaim the judgment of Jehovah. Those were the actions, not of a coward, but of a courageous prophet of God! (Jonah 3:3, 4) What about us today? God-given courage is needed to give a bold witness in the face of opposition. (Acts 4:29, 31) Self-sacrifice is required to invest time and resources in the ministry.—Acts 20:24.
4. Why should we take time to reflect on the fine pattern set by the prophets of Jehovah?
4 Each time you read an account about one of Jehovah’s prophets, you will benefit if you visualize yourself in those circumstances. Ask yourself: ‘How would I have responded? How can I imitate his good qualities in my life?’ (Heb. 6:11, 12) Future articles in Our Kingdom Ministry will consider further valuable lessons that we can learn from other faithful prophets of Jehovah.