Would you rather a Jonah or a Paul in your ship? This ship represents your life and whoever is in your ship can determine how your journey goes. Rough seas and storms will come in life, but the people who you are with may impact your survival. When Jesus was with the disciples in a boat during a fierce storm, they woke Him up and He stilled the wind and the waves. So, we should want Jesus in our lives, but we also need to be wise as to who to take on this life’s journey. Jonah was the cause of a storm which nearly killed all on board, while Paul helped the people on the ship with him survive a shipwreck in which no one lost their lives. The difference was that Jonah was disobeying the voice of God, but Paul was obeying God.
Then the men became extremely afraid, and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. So they said to him, “What should we do to you so that the sea will become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. And he said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, because I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.” Jonah 1:10-12
When many had lost their appetites, Paul then stood among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice and not have set sail from Crete, and thereby spared yourselves this damage and loss. And yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong, whom I also serve, came to me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has graciously granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. Acts 27:21-25
These are two very contrasting scenes. Jonah was the one who got his fellow voyagers in a bad situation because he was fleeing from God’s presence. However, Paul willingly embraced God’s presence and navigated his fellow travellers to safety. We must be very careful when we choose who to be in our lives and ask for God’s guidance as many of our problems are caused by who we have chosen to associate with.
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Sober up morally and stop sinning, for some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
We must choose our company wisely or else we may pay a very high price for that friendship which may hinder our relationship with God. Also, we must be mindful of our behavior so that we are not the Jonah in our relationships. Our actions may bring destruction to those around us, so we must be cognizant of how we live our lives and how we impact those around us.
While working with the ladies in Downtown Kingston, Jamaica some of them told me that they never felt loved by their mothers so they in turn did not know how to show love to their children. Many of these children grow up to be hard-hearted gang members who kill mercilessly. This is a harsh example, but the truth is the behavior of parents can have a devasting impact on their children, which in turn can have a harmful effect on society. However, children never had the choice of who their parents would be but can later decide who they want to be associated with, which can determine the trajectory of their lives. There is a saying, “Misery loves company.” But whomever you are in the company of may cause even more misery. Therefore, it is important to be astute when choosing companions as this may result in you staying in misery or rising above it.
It is better to live on a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman. The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor is shown no compassion in his eyes. Proverbs 21:9-10
Whether it is a quarrelsome wife or husband, or a wicked neighbor, they can make life either heaven or hell on earth. Also, please remember that we may not be able to choose some of the persons who are in our lives, but we can choose to be the one who is like Christ in our relationships as we obey His Word, while staying in His presence. Our actions can determine not only the outcome of our lives, but also the destinies of those God have positioned in our sphere of influence. Therefore, it is not only important to be wise in choosing friends, but to also be wise in choosing our actions. You can either be Paul or Jonah in your life’s relationships.
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