在一次主日學的課堂上，三歲的波波讓我逐漸失去耐心！他悶悶不樂，對別的孩子也不友善，即使我們把小朋友們最喜歡的玩具拿給他，他還是不滿意。漸漸地，我對他的心疼變成了厭煩，我心想：如果波波還是這麼不聽話，那好，我就把他送回他父母那裡，不要讓他參加別的有趣的活動！

我常覺得我付出的愛心和關懷是有條件的。一旦對方不接受我的建議或幫助，那麼他們就不值得我付出，幸好上帝不會這樣對待我們。先知約拿曾頑固不順服上帝，卻經歷上帝的洪恩大愛。上帝第一次吩咐他去尼尼微城傳講悔改的信息（約拿書1章2節），他卻不願意聽從命令，往反方向逃跑。結果他遭遇狂風大浪，被拋入海中，被大魚吞入腹中，這一連串的災難都是他咎由自取（4、15-17節）。然而，當約拿終於「禱告耶和華他的上帝」（2章1節），上帝仍然垂聽，並赦免這位不情願的先知。上帝將他從魚腹中救出來，慈愛地賜給他第二次機會前往尼尼微城（3章1節）。

至於波波，後來有一位比我更有耐心、愛心的助理老師靈機一動，帶波波去遊樂場玩，才安撫了他的情緒。即使在我們惹出一堆麻煩、最不可愛的時候，上帝仍以祂寬容的愛不斷地將我們尋回，這是何等美好啊！

During Sunday school, my patience with three-year-old Peter was wearing thin. He was unhappy, unkind to the other kids, and absolutely refused to be content, even when we offered him the most coveted toys. My pity turned to annoyance. If he stubbornly persisted in being difficult, then fine, I’d send him back to his parents and he would miss out on all the fun.

Too often I find my compassion has conditions. If someone ignores my advice or refuses my help, then they don’t deserve it anymore. Fortunately, God doesn’t act that way toward us. The prophet Jonah experienced His great mercy after a time of stubborn disobedience when God commanded him to travel and preach to Nineveh (Jonah 1:2). Defiantly choosing the opposite direction, Jonah was caught in a terrible storm, set adrift at sea, and then swallowed by a great fish—a self-made disaster (vv. 4, 15-17). When Jonah finally “prayed to the Lord his God” (2:1), God was still listening to him, ready to forgive His reluctant prophet. Jonah was delivered from the fish and graciously given a second chance to go to Nineveh (3:1).

In little Peter’s case, a trip to the playground consoled him—a brilliant idea by a helper with more patience than I had shown. How beautiful is mercy that continually seeks us out, even in the middle of our own mess.