The Battle of the Bear still gets to me. For those who don’t know, it’s the rivalry game between Orange Glen High School (my alma mater) and San Pasqual High School. You’d think I’d be over it by now—but my senior year in the mid-90s, we lost. That loss stung. And for some reason, it lingers.
Now, to be clear—San Pasqual isn’t some evil empire. In fact, my wife graduated from there, and she’s one of the best things to ever happen to me! The issue wasn’t really the game—it was what it represented. They acted like they were better than us. Their uniforms were fancier, they had this little up-and-down warm-up routine that drove me nuts. And the thing is, these weren’t strangers. These were the same kids we grew up with—played Little League and soccer together, attended birthday parties, even went to church together. But for that moment… they became my Nineveh.
I didn’t want God to bless them. I wanted God to side with us.
The truth? That wasn’t their issue. It was mine.
The Ninevites in Jonah’s time were cruel, violent, and deeply broken people. Jonah didn’t want to see them blessed or forgiven—and honestly, we can understand why. But God’s grace doesn’t always go where we’d prefer. Sometimes we label people as “Ninevites” simply because we’re hurt, angry, or insecure. It might be someone from another culture we don’t understand, a neighbor who breaks all the HOA rules, or even a friend who betrayed us. Whatever the reason, we find ourselves hoping that God won’t show them favor.
But here’s the challenge: we don’t get to choose who deserves grace. That’s God’s job.
I’ll admit—I’ve struggled with this. When someone hurts me, my first instinct isn’t always to pray for them. It’s to pray about them… and not in the most godly of ways. Can you relate?
So what do we do when we feel this way?
We remember that God’s grace is sufficient—not just for me, but for them, too (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). That means we surrender our sense of justice and trust Him to work in us and them.
And you know what? I’ve seen it…even at San Pasqual. FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) is growing. Students are stepping into leadership. Teachers are gathering, praying over students and showing them God’s love. My heart is full when I think about that. Because it reminds me—God is working. Powerfully. In every school. In every person. In every “Nineveh.”
So today, ask yourself: Who have I labeled a Ninevite? And are you willing to pray that God blesses them?
He just might.
Pastor Jeremy Johnson