Griffin Speaks
BALAAM'S DONKEY
I
was talking with my youngest son Christopher the other day about talking
animals. He laughed at the thought of an animal talking. I asked him if he
would tell anyone if he went into the backyard and our family pet began
talking to him. He laughed and then said, “of course not, people would
think that I had lost my mind.” I told him that there are people among us
who experience things as strange as talking animals, but do not share it
with anyone for fear that people would think that they were crazy. I come
from a family of people who experience strange things, so strange that they
do not share those experiences with anyone but family members who can
understand and appreciate the experiences that we encounter. Chris laughed
and asked me if I ever had an animal talk to me. I told him that I had not
experienced a talking animal, but I have had some pretty strange experiences
that I have shared with no one. One of my relatives could look into the sky
and see people sitting around a table. I was having lunch with a minister
friend of mine, Rev. Dwayne McNeil and I told him about my earlier
conversation with my son Christopher. He shared with me a biblical story
about Balaam’s Donkey (Numbers 22:1-35). Here’s the story: Numbers
22:1-35
One day God came to Balaam and said, "If men come to get you, get
up and go with them, but only say what I tell you to say."
In the morning,
Balaam got up, put a saddle on his donkey, and went with the men. This made
God mad.
While Balaam and
two of his servants were riding their donkeys, an angel stood in the road to
stop them. The donkey saw the angel standing with a sword in the road and
walked into a field to keep from running into it.
Balaam hit the
donkey to get her back on the road. But the angel stood in Balaam's way and
there were walls to his right and left. When the donkey saw the angel, she
ran into the wall and sm
The angel walked a bit and stood in a narrow place where the donkey wouldn't be able to turn at all. When the donkey saw the angel, she fell down. This made Balaam so mad that he hit the donkey with a stick.
Then God made the donkey talk and she said, "What did I do to you to make you hit me three times?"
Balaam answered, "You teased me! I wish I had a sword so I could kill you."
The donkey said, "Aren't I your donkey which you rode ever since I was yours? Did I ever want to ride you?"
"Well, no," said Balaam.
Then God let Balaam see the angel standing in the road with a sword. Balaam bowed his head and fell flat on his face.
The angel said, "Why did you hit your donkey three times? Look, I was trying to stop you because you weren't doing what I wanted you to do. Your donkey saw me and got you out of the way. If she hadn't, I would have killed you and let her live."
Have you ever asked an old lady where she got her gossip from and she answered: “Well the little bird told me!” Some of you are experiencing some very strange things, so strange that you are afraid to share them with anyone, just know that you are not alone! In the words of my dad, “You must honor the chair whether it is sitting, walking or lying down.”
Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com or write to him at P.O. Box 250194 Montgomery, Alabama 36125-0194.