Day 74

Numbers 22:21–23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13

STRANGE THINGS WERE afoot in Numbers today. King Balak’s distinguished officials had promised unspeakable riches to Balaam if he would curse the Israelites. God instructed Balaam to return with Balak’s officials but to speak only what the Lord told him to say. When Balaam began the journey, God was upset that he did. At face value, this seems like a strange contradiction, but when we look a little deeper, we find not only clarity in the story but also a penetrating look into our own motives.

God sent an angel, with sword in hand, to stand on the pathway before the caravan. The only being to see the angel was the donkey on which Balaam was riding. To protect itself (and Balaam), the donkey veered into a field. Its reward was a beating.

Later, the angel stood in a narrow place in the road where two vineyard walls met. To avoid the angel, the donkey inadvertently crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. Again, the donkey received a beating.

Farther on, the angel stood at a place in the road where there was no wiggle room at all. The donkey simply sat down beneath Balaam. Enraged, Balaam beat the donkey yet again with his staff. It was then that the donkey spoke: “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” (Numbers 22:28).

Apparently, Balaam’s blind rage at the donkey was so acute, he didn’t completely register that a donkey was speaking to him. But in that blind rage, Balaam spoke the full truth within his heart:

“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!” (Numbers 22:29).

Balaam had been offered tremendous riches and prestige if he would curse God’s people, but God had instructed him to speak only words that were given to him and nothing more. This tug-of-war gave way to fantasy and pride within Balaam —maybe God would let him curse these people and become rich and famous in the process.

Rather than fearing God, Balaam didn’t want to look like a fool in front of God’s enemies —a very dangerous place to be. And don’t we encounter the same temptation in our own lives? The promise of riches and prestige have historically caused many great people to compromise themselves and give way to false pride. Perhaps we should pay attention when we receive warnings from unexpected places. God used an angel and a donkey to protect His people. He will go to great lengths to protect us —even from ourselves.

Take some time today to examine the gray areas in life. In what situations have we allowed pride, greed, rage, or any of a litany of toxic behaviors to cloud our vision and bring us to places of compromise?

MEDITATION:

Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.