Did You Know? - Pt. 7

But God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. (Numbers 22:22-27 ESV).

 

The story of the prophet Balaam and his donkey is a must read in our little series. Balaam was riding on his donkey when the donkey suddenly turned off the road into a field. After hitting the donkey to get back to the road, the donkey started pushing Balaam’s leg up against a wall. After hitting his donkey again to move, the donkey just laid down. So Balaam, angry that his donkey wasn’t cooperating, struck it again. Our reading tells us what happened next.

 

Apparently Balaam is too angry to realize that his donkey is talking to him. And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” (Numbers 22.30). Amazingly, the donkey wins the argument! Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” (Numbers 22.31-33).

 

We often become irrational in our anger. The lesson is clear today. Unless it’s in self-defense, or the protection of innocents, there is rarely a time when physical violence is warranted. I wish I was better at this principle, though I know it well. When you are tempted to allow your anger to go to a place you will certainly regret later… take a deep breath, think, then act according to your faith. Everyone will be the better for that action rather than a negative reaction. If Balaam’s donkey can do it, can’t we?