Well I just got back from Georgia.
I had 10 days of training with the staff from AIM and some other really incredible people.
While I was down there, we talked about blogging while out on The World Race.
I started to think about my role in that and how I felt about telling people what I am experiencing, seeing,
hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting.
I think I have an idea of what my role with you, the reader of my blog, is supposed to be.
The whole thing started with a joke between a few of us.
To fill you in on the joke, we went to church on Easter and at this church. They had a live lion and lamb on stage.
They also had little kids dressed as angels flying in from the rafters.
We kind of joked about it and said it was like seeing “Jesus on Ice.”
One the way home we were discussing an assignment that we were given which was to list 50 creative ways to worship.
We joked and said we should come up with an animal ministry and have talking animal preach to people and have monkeys acting out plays and other really silly random stuff.
One afternoon while listening to a speaker, I heard them say something about a talking donkey in the bible and I immediately thought that I needed to recruit this donkey for our talking ministry.
I immediately looked at the group of people that had been discussing the animal ministry and laughed.
The thought of this talking donkey intrigued me.
When I got back home the other day, I went to my bible to try to find this story.
I found this story of the talking donkey in Numbers 22.
Before I get into my thoughts on the story, I just want you to know how I view donkeys.
When I look at this donkey, I don’t really see anything special.
It is a boring gray color.
It has big ears.
I bet it stinks.
I also think it looks dirty, messy, and even a little shaggy.
From what I know, donkeys are pretty laidback and tend to move at a slower pace.
They can also very patient animals and are willing to carry a lot of weight.
Donkeys can also be one of the laziest and most stubborn animals.
I think I am similar to a donkey.
When you see me, I am boring to look at.
I have big ears.
Sometimes I stink.
I don’t mind being dirty, messy, or shaggy.
I am pretty laidback and I am told that I move at an annoyingly slow pace.
I have been told that I am patient.
If I notice someone carrying a heavy load, whether it is physically or emotionally, I like to help shift some of that weight off them and onto myself
and help them carry it.
I can also be very lazy and stubborn at times.
Now that I look at it, I see how people mistake me for a donkey, although they often seem to choose the other name for a donkey when telling me about the similarities.
J
Now that you know my thoughts on donkeys, let me walk you though my interpretation of this story.
If you want to read the whole thing, you can find it in Numbers 22.
I am going to summarize verses 1-20 so that if you don’t know this story well, you will have a little knowledge of what is going on where I pick up the story and hopefully this will make more sense.
My quick and very rough summary is…There is a group of guys that want Balaam to go put a curse on another group of people.
God tells Balaam not to go put a curse on them because these people are blessed.
Balaam decides to go to bed and sleep on it.
I am going to pick up the story in verse 21.
21-23
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went off with the noblemen from Moab. As he was going, though, God’s anger flared. The angel of
God stood in the road to block his way. Balaam was riding his donkey, accompanied by his two servants. When the donkey saw the angel blocking the road and brandishing a sword, she veered off the road into the ditch. Balaam beat the donkey and got her back on the road. 24-25 But as they were going through a vineyard, with a fence on either side, the donkey again saw
God‘s angel blocking the way and veered into the fence, crushing Balaam’s foot against the fence. Balaam hit her again. 26-27
God‘s angel blocked the way yet again—a very narrow passage this time; there was no getting through on the right or left. Seeing the angel, Balaam’s donkey sat down under him. Balaam lost his temper; he beat the donkey with his stick. 28 Then
God gave speech to the donkey. She said to Balaam: “What have I ever done to you that you have beat me these three times?”
Time out:
I just want you to know that while I am on The World Race, I am probably going to say or do some things that you don’t agree with.
I might make you upset.
I most likely will challenge a lot of the things that we have grown up believing in the US.
I am going to challenge the American dream.
I might say things that challenge your beliefs.
You might think I am being a little extreme, a hippie, an idealist, or just plain out of my mind.
In reference to the story, you might want to hit me or beat me with a stick. (If this happens, I will be glad that I am in a very remote place half way around the world.)
Back to the story…
29
Balaam said, “Because you’ve been playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now.” 30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you’ve ridden for years right up until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you before? Have I?” He said, “No.” 31 Then
God helped Balaam see what was going on: He saw
God‘s angel blocking the way, brandishing a sword. Balaam fell to the ground, his face in the dirt.
Time out:
I just want you to know that I am not mocking or judging you or anyone.
You might think that I am a complete wacko and you might want to remove me from this world.
I just pray that you would be open to trying to see the world from a different perspective.
Not the right perspective or the wrong perspective, just a different perspective.
I am not trying to persuade you, argue with you, brainwash you or anything else negative.
I pray that God will speak though me in my stories and my pictures while I am on this upcoming journey.
32-33
God‘s angel said to him: “Why have you beaten your poor donkey these three times? I have come here to block your way because you’re getting way ahead of yourself. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she hadn’t, I would have killed you by this time, but not the donkey. I would have let her off.” 34 Balaam said to
God‘s angel, “I have sinned. I had no idea you were standing in the road blocking my way. If you don’t like what I’m doing, I’ll head back.”
Time out:
I am not perfect nor will I ever claim to be.
Everything I say won’t be sin free or the way you should live.
I am not claiming to know it all.
I do pray that God will speak through my stories into people’s hearts and that hopefully people will turn away from something that is displeasing to God and in turn develop a closer relationship with Him.
I ask that you be open to my stories and that you open your heart to what Jesus might be saying to you through my blogs.
To wrap this up: Jesus is taking me on an awesome adventure.
Right now, I want you to know that I am willing to be your donkey.
If you want to join me on this journey, hop on my back, and I will take you though my journey.
If you don’t understand why I am doing or saying something, please remember it is probably because at the moment, I have a little bit different perspective.
I pray that you would just consider my perspective.
I am just an ordinary guy that wants to go where Jesus is leading me and I want everyone in this world to go there too, even if it means that I have carry some of the weight for you or
take a little abuse along the way.
