A talking ass and other everyday things

So, the book of Numbers.......  you must read it if you haven't had the privilege to do so.  It is quite an interesting book on so many levels.  It's always interesting how the God of the old testament laid out so many rules in such detail.  But that's not the topic today, that's another day or two or three.....

Balaam.  Magician, soothsayer, believed in God, ooookkkk?  Anyway, the reason why God picked him to deliver oracles to others is humorous to me, but beyond that little piece of comedic history is the story of his ass.  No, I'm not cursing, it's in the bible, ok, not my version, but the old one.  Yes, I did say it for effect and so that you would possible be more interested in my post, so, ok, his donkey.  There.  Moving on.

What is up with that?  Read Numbers 22: 21-33.  Balaam takes off on his donkey to see the princes of Balak.  The donkey sees what Balaam doesn't, an angel in the road and swerves three different occasions to miss it and each time Balaam strikes the donkey.  After the third time the donkey starts to talk.  Now to you and I, this may seem strange and a bit out of place and might make us step back and say, "whoa" or "holy moley".  But not Balaam.  His reply is nonchalant, flipant, defensive, in spite of the fact it came out of a donkey that doesn't normally talk.  Then the angel appears to Balaam and he hits the ground face down in a holy moley moment.  Talking donkey, ok.  Angel, not.  Hmmmmm.

I am perplexed a bit with Balaam's odd response to the whole thing, but then I think about it.  How many talking donkeys have I had in my life that I have beaten down or argued with so flipantly while onlookers regard that as such strange behavior.  Talking donkey, metaphorically speaking, duh.  I know I must work on areas in my life, and they often show themselves in quite odd ways and I just blow it off as normal.  Sweep it under the proverbial rug.  You?  Any talking donkeys?  Balaam shows no surprise. Why?  Is he used to talking donkeys?  When others look, are they surprised at my talking donkeys and how I react to them?  Do I overlook how God gets my atention?  Do I blow it off as just another talking donkey?

And why does it take a sword wielding angel to bring me to my knees?  What way does God show up to me that takes me down, I mean facedown for forgiveness and grace and humility?

God knew Balaam's heart, he knew he wasn't doing this for the right reason and he needed to take him down a notch or two.  I know I can serve God better and from my heart, too.  He knows what it's like in there, in my heart.  I want to more aware of the talking livestock in my life.