Jonah is one of my favourite biblical characters. As a “God-aware” person, he knows God’s displeasure with the lifestyle of the Ninevites and that it will all end badly.

He should go and warn them, but Jonah has other ideas... cue Big Fish Story.

Eventually Jonah does deliver the warning, and the Ninevites respond and turn to God.

God is pleased, but Jonah is angry – how dare God not punish them! Cue Jonah’s big sulk.

During the next few weeks our council will endorse decisions that will impact the people of Woking, some much more than others.

My prayer is that this will bring out the best in us all. Let us not be Jonahs, running away from doing the right thing.

Instead, let us through practical actions put compassion, goodness and love (God) at the centre of all our encounters and everything we do.

For me, this is what our God of love wanted for Nineveh, so why not for the people of Woking?