Sailors Take Warning
The sailors said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. – Jonah 1:7 (NRSVUE)
The big fish gets all the glory, but the most powerful characters in the book of Jonah are the sailors who thought they were welcoming just another passenger onto their ship and got a life-threatening storm in return.
These sailors are the witnesses and near casualties of what happens when someone joins a group—a community, a church, a family, or a ship—with no self-awareness about the baggage they bring with them or the effect it has on others. When faced with the storm that follows Jonah on board, the sailors do not play the blame game or respond with ill-advised, fearful actions. They respond with a level of spiritual maturity that I can only aspire to:
The sailors each search their souls to make sure they are not the cause of the tumultuous sea. They invite Jonah to join them in the soul-searching.
When Jonah is revealed to be the cause of the storm, the sailors respond with curiosity and ask to know more about Jonah’s background. They ask Jonah how he thinks the storm can be calmed, including him in the problem-solving even when he is the source of the problem.
When Jonah says the only option is to toss him overboard, the sailors still resist and attempt a more peaceful solution.
Finally, the sailors desperately pray to God to not allow them harm someone. Their prayer is the cry that lands Jonah into the mouth of the big fish who became the timeout vessel he needed to deal with his baggage and get right with God.
The fish gets the glory, but it was a community of sailors who cared enough to get him there.
Prayer
When the winds blow and the waves roll, may I find myself in a community that cares enough, and is mature enough, to help me deal with my baggage. Amen.
About the AuthorLiz Miller serves as the Designated Pastor of Granby Congregational Church, UCC and is the author of Only Work Sundays: A Laidback Guide to Doing Less while Helping Your Church Thrive.