Jonah is my absolute favorite prophet in the Hebrew Bible precisely because he is bad at his job. In the first reading of the day, we see that the “word of the Lord,” a special commissioning from God to speak truth to power, has come to Jonah for a second time. The first time it came to him, Jonah fled in the literal opposite direction towards the actual opposite end of the known world — there was a boat and a storm and a big fish, it was a huge ordeal.

This time around, Jonah obeys but he does the bare minimum in order to say that he technically did it. The text says Nineveh is so huge, it takes three days to go through it, but Jonah only walks for one day. Jonah then decides that the periphery of the city is the perfect place to deliver the Hebrew Bible’s shortest recorded prophecy: "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.” Jonah doesn’t even prescribe any kind of recourse for the Ninevites. And yet, the people believed God. Jonah did the worst possible job of prophesying, but the truth of God is thoroughly convicting and compelling.

I am reminded of all of the times that I think I’m inadequate and I’m unworthy of God’s commission. I think that I will fail God and I am a failure as a Christian. Then I remember Jonah and I remember that God can work even through a man who tried to do the worst possible job. This Lenten season, I read Jonah and am reminded that these days in anticipation for Jesus Christ’s resurrection call me to proclaim good news that transcends my ability to share it.