Donkey Talk
by Jarrett Stevens

As a kid growing up, I was convinced my dog had the power to talk. I figured it was only a matter of time until she and I broke through the human/canine language barrier that has held mankind back for so long. I completely expected to walk around the corner one day only to hear Ko Ko mumbling to herself about how tired she was of me pulling the old "Tennis Ball Fake-Out Throw."
Crazy or not, I think deep down we'd love to hear our pets talk. Which, in my opinion, explains why there are so many movies with talking animals. For some reason, it's completely normal in the movies for a fish to talk, or a dog to solve mysteries, or a sponge to wear square pants. We love the idea. And I have to admit, of all the talking animals, one of the best in recent movie history would have to be "Donkey" from the Shrek movies. He's hands down the funniest talking donkey ever.

But he's not the first. In fact, a talking donkey shows up in the Old Testament, in Numbers 22. It's here that we meet a guy named Balaam. He was a prophet who spoke the words of God to whomever God told him to. On one occasion, a foreign king asked Balaam to put a curse on the nation of Israel so that they would get off this king's land. (Odd, but that's how they settled major political problems back then.) Balaam says no to the request. The king doesn't give up. He sends messengers to Balaam again, with a load of cash to "buy" the curse. God tells Balaam to go with the messengers to meet the king, but not to say or do anything unless God tells him to. And this is where the story gets really interesting.

Balaam sets out to meet with this foreign king, but instead of taking public transportation, he opts to take his trusted donkey. At several points throughout the journey, Balaam disobeys God's guidance.

So God sends an angel to block Balaam's path. Balaam doesn't notice, but his donkey does. Not just once, or twice, but three times, the donkey swerves off the road to avoid running into this very large angel with his very sharp sword. But Balaam still doesn't get it. In fact, he even gets angry with his donkey and starts beating the snot out of it for all the swerving and for making him spill his coffee (OK, I made up the coffee part). So in his final attempt to get Balaam's attention, God causes the donkey to speak.

This is the moment we've all been waiting for. Finally, the animal kingdom is about to talk. So what is the donkey's great message? Well, it went something like this: "Dude! What's with all the beat-downs? Seriously, dude! I'm out here trying to save your life, and the only thanks I get is a tail whooping!" (OK, so those aren't the exact words, but that's how I like to imagine it.) So Balaam starts arguing with the donkey, until he realizes something: I'm having an argument with my donkey … and it's actually winning! Then it all becomes clear. God allows Balaam to see the angel, and in that moment he realizes he's gotten off the path God had laid out for him. Balaam immediately asks for forgiveness from God (and his donkey) and listens to all God has to say to him.
I guess it shouldn't surprise me that God would use a talking donkey to get someone's attention. I can only imagine the lengths God must go through to get my attention. Think about your own life. Have you ever thought God might be trying to get your attention through the words of a friend or missing a ride to school or the pain of a breakup or the stillness of a starry sky?

Try as hard as you can to look and listen for God in the unexpected things. And let him not only get your attention, but let him fully have it. Pay attention to what he wants to say to you … and the crazy things he chooses to say it through. Even if it happens to be a talking donkey.