The Peacegiver

“Abigail bowed her head slightly before David and then turned to leave. As she did so, her gaze met Rick’s—startling him, as until then no one had seemed to notice his presence. Her gentle brown eyes shone brightly . . . and reached to him—beckoning, inviting, and drawing him in. He instantly felt as if they had had a conversation, or an interview. He received that she knew him—his past, his present, his future, his thoughts, his feelings, his fears. What’s more, he felt that she treasured him, despite everything she knew.”

“Jonah is a bitter man at the moment. He thinks he is in the ‘right’ here. In fact, he is so convinced of it, he’s willing to face of against the Lord. His is the case of justice. Meanwhile, the Lord’s question hangs in the air, ‘Should not I spare Nineveh?’ What do you suppose would happen, if Jonah were to give up his belligerence and answered, ‘Yes!’ The world would change, wouldn’t it—not because he would be perfect but because he would recognize in that moment that he has no claim to perfection in others, that his and others’ hopes rest entirely on mercy.”