Not Today, Nineveh: Jonah and the Art of Avoiding Responsibility

Today I read Jonah, and I found myself caught up in the idea of running away from responsibility.

Jonah is told to go to Nineveh, but instead he goes in the opposite direction. Not metaphorically—he literally books a ship going the other way. It's one of the most direct examples I can think of in ancient literature where someone just says "no thanks" to their calling and tries to disappear. And honestly, I get it.

The Big Why Behind Our Big No

It made me wonder: why do we resist what we know we should do? Jonah isn’t confused. He doesn’t need more information. He just doesn’t want to do it. Maybe he’s afraid. Maybe he resents the people of Nineveh. Maybe he doesn’t trust that his effort will make a difference. Maybe it's all of those things.

That moment where he boards the ship is almost funny in its bluntness. Like trying to opt out of a hard conversation by catching a flight to another country. There's something very modern about it.

And yet, this isn’t just about defiance. Jonah doesn’t say, "I won't." He says, in effect, "I can't." Or maybe even, "I don't want to deal with this right now." That feels familiar. When have I done the same? Not just with big life choices, but with everyday moments where I avoided speaking up, showing up, or taking responsibility.

In the Belly of Avoidance

Then there’s the part where Jonah ends up in the belly of the fish. It’s easy to get caught up in the unusual imagery, but what if it’s a way of showing what it feels like to be stuck in your own avoidance? He tries to escape, and ends up trapped—alone, uncomfortable, and forced to sit with himself.

Eventually he goes to Nineveh. He does the thing he didn’t want to do. But the story doesn’t wrap up neatly. Jonah is still angry and frustrated, even after the people change their ways. The reluctance doesn't magically disappear just because he followed through.

That feels important. The idea that doing the right thing doesn’t always feel good, at least not right away. Sometimes it just feels necessary.

Jonah Didn’t Want to Talk About It Either

I didn’t expect a book this short to touch on something so relatable. There are times when doing what needs to be done feels heavy, or even unfair. But avoiding it doesn’t seem to offer much relief either.

Jonah’s story doesn’t end with a triumphant resolution. The challenge isn’t about knowing what's right, but about choosing to face it, even when every part of us wants to run.