Who is the worst of the worst when it comes to mankind? There are lots of opinions. Some will say that if a person commits a certain type of crime then they fall into this category. Others will differ and say that it is not the commission of a crime, but the repeated commission of a particular offense which qualifies them to be “The Worst of the Worst”. Still others will say that what is in a person’s heart is the determining factor. They argue that a particular behavior doesn’t tell the whole story and that we must examine a person’s thought life to determine how depraved they are. I’m sure you have your own opinion about all this. As a matter of fact, before you keep reading, I want to encourage you to take a minute and see who you would put in this category. Done? Great! So let’s continue… Jonah likely thought that the people of Nineveh were the worst of the worst, and according to the verse below, God acknowledged their great sinfulness: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” We also know that God was ready to judge Nineveh, because when Jonah finally agreed to go and preach to them, God told him to proclaim: “4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” At this point in the account, we don’t really know what was in Jonah’s heart about proclaiming this message, but as we will soon see, it is fair to say that he was hoping that judgement would indeed come. When Nineveh believed God and repented, we learned of God’s reaction: 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.” And Jonah’s reply? 4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Clearly God didn’t feel that the Ninevites hearts were the only ones that needed changing when He said to Jonah: 4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[a] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” 10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” Do you know anyone who can’t tell their right from their left? Are you aware of someone whose wickedness is great and has gone up before God? Are they on your list of the worst of the worst? Perhaps God is concerned about them? Are you? May it not be that we write off others that God is hoping to redeem. He can turn the worst of the worst into a new creation. 16 “So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” 2nd Corinthians 5:16-17 For Him, Rob