Real Christ-followers know how to love others. Jesus said that people will know His disciples by the love they have for one another (see John 13:34-35). Love is the trademark of a real disciple of Christ.
Still, as human as you are, there will probably be at least one person you struggle to like. It might be that next-door neighbour who keeps playing his stereo too loud early in the morning. It could be your boss or superior who keeps on criticising you or your output. Or simply it could be that person who used to bully you in your earlier years.
Is there anybody you don't like? If there is, then you should know that God loves them. The Bible says that we should pray for those who persecute us, and that we should also bless our enemies! The heart of God for people who we consider unlikeable is best illustrated in Jonah's story in the Old Testament.
Here are some things we can learn from Jonah's story.
1) God gives even the wicked a chance to repent
God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach against it, because the people were wicked (see Jonah 1). Nineveh was home to the Assyrians, and God had heard of the wickedness of these people. God wanted Jonah to go there and give the whole city and its inhabitants a rebuke and a subsequent chance to repent of their sin.
God's merciful nature caused Him to want to give Nineveh "forty days" (see Jonah 3:4) to change their heart and their ways. God always gives a person a chance to repent of their sin.
2) God loves even those you don't like
After Jonah preached, the whole city of Nineveh repented (see Jonah 3). Because of this, God relented from His anger and withheld judgment. Jonah, instead of shouting praise to God for His kindness, got so mad at the Lord's response.
"But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, "Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."" (Jonah 4:1-3)
Have you ever felt angry because it seemed like God withheld His wrath from a person who hurt you? God did that because He wants to give them a chance to repent – and you a chance to grow in love for them too.
