+ Balaam's Ass +
The story of Balaam really fascinated me.
My mother was not “raised in the church”. Occasionally, she would attend with a childhood friend, but her attendance was not consistent. My father, on the other hand, was present at church as a child although I am not sure that he really “attended” to the message. After their marriage, my mother and father became members of a Methodist Episcopal congregation in Batavia, Ohio. I was baptized as an infant into this congregation. Over the years, my mother became a very avid biblical scholar. She gathered a small library of material and would study the word diligently.
I “attended” seminary while in my forties. Although a good student, I don’t think the word scholar ever applied; I was on a mission. While at seminary I remember the first and only time that my father initiated a biblical conversation. He posed a question asking about the time that the donkey spoke. I remember looking blankly at him wondering what he was talking about. My mother, on the other hand, went into action pulling books and bibles down until she found the object of her search. We were directed to Numbers 22.
The story of Balaam really fascinated me. I guess what I really liked was to say it was the story of Balaam’s Ass. (Some of us never really mature after junior high school.) As I recalled the story, Balaam was travelling and his donkey refused his directions. Knowing the stubbornness attributed to donkeys, this behavior shouldn’t be a surprise. However, as the story progresses, we learn that Balaam is beating the donkey when, in fact, the donkey is saving Balaam from danger.
I “attended” seminary while in my forties. Although a good student, I don’t think the word scholar ever applied; I was on a mission. While at seminary I remember the first and only time that my father initiated a biblical conversation. He posed a question asking about the time that the donkey spoke. I remember looking blankly at him wondering what he was talking about. My mother, on the other hand, went into action pulling books and bibles down until she found the object of her search. We were directed to Numbers 22.
The story of Balaam really fascinated me. I guess what I really liked was to say it was the story of Balaam’s Ass. (Some of us never really mature after junior high school.) As I recalled the story, Balaam was travelling and his donkey refused his directions. Knowing the stubbornness attributed to donkeys, this behavior shouldn’t be a surprise. However, as the story progresses, we learn that Balaam is beating the donkey when, in fact, the donkey is saving Balaam from danger.
...Balaam is beating the donkey when, in fact, the donkey is saving Balaam from danger.
Surprisingly enough, in the story, that danger is an angel. Full disclosure: One of my recurrent themes in preaching is about angel visitations proclaiming the command “Fear not!” In my ministry, I have found that fear has been that which has been the stumbling block of most of my congregants’ spiritual growth (as well as my own). To that end, I began to collect angels. I felt that their “presence” would be a reminder that fear can be crippling. Another, aspect of my angel collection was that they were mostly ethnic angels. While living and serving my first church in Gary, Indiana, the Hallmark white cherub angel did not seem to fit our context.
In fact, I remember preaching on a number of occasions about needing a “kick butt” kind of angel. When I was out of the pulpit my words were more likely to be a “kick ass” kind of angel. This all brings me back to the Balaam story. What my memory failed to recall from this story was that the reason the donkey kept stopping was because of just that kind of angel!
The donkey’s first angelic encounter is reported at verse 23: “When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.” I am using the NIV translation because it adds another layer to this story by identifying the gender of the donkey as female. Balaam’s unjustified anger is intensified for me as I identify with that donkey.
In fact, I remember preaching on a number of occasions about needing a “kick butt” kind of angel. When I was out of the pulpit my words were more likely to be a “kick ass” kind of angel. This all brings me back to the Balaam story. What my memory failed to recall from this story was that the reason the donkey kept stopping was because of just that kind of angel!
The donkey’s first angelic encounter is reported at verse 23: “When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.” I am using the NIV translation because it adds another layer to this story by identifying the gender of the donkey as female. Balaam’s unjustified anger is intensified for me as I identify with that donkey.
...Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path
The second encounter follows immediately: “Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between two vineyards with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed close to the wall , crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her again.” (v. 24-25) The donkey is located in the proverbial “between a rock and a hard place” with Balaam beating her as she tries to save him. For those of us who have tried to be “reasonable” in an emotionally charged situation, we readily identify Balaam’s injustice. I recall that once during a church conflict, I cried out, “I’m damned if I do and I am damned if I don’t”. I remember getting a verbal “beating” (admonishment) for my language although I do not believe that I was the only “ass” in the situation.
“Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.” (v. 26-27) The donkey can go no further. No physical imposition by Balaam can force her to continue.
In his anger, Balaam wishes that he had a sword to kill the donkey. He is worried about how others might perceive the behavior of his animal. He thinks that he will be thought of as a fool and that he will “lose face” among his peers. The concept never occurs to him that the female donkey might have greater insight and awareness than he.
“Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.” (v. 26-27) The donkey can go no further. No physical imposition by Balaam can force her to continue.
In his anger, Balaam wishes that he had a sword to kill the donkey. He is worried about how others might perceive the behavior of his animal. He thinks that he will be thought of as a fool and that he will “lose face” among his peers. The concept never occurs to him that the female donkey might have greater insight and awareness than he.
...If God can speak through Balaam’s Ass...
In our journey, we are often so focused upon the destination that we fail to notice the signs along the way. We, like Balaam may need the mouth of a donkey to be opened by God in order for us to pay attention. There are those around us who are able to see God’s manifestation when we are unaware. Our dismissive attitudes and self-importance may keep us from recognizing God’s messengers.
The donkey queries Balaam about his experience over the years with her. She tries to reason with him so that he will “see” and understand. However, he still does not understand until the angel of the Lord opens his eyes and he is able to see what the donkey saw: a kick-butt angel with a sword ready for Balaam! The sword he wished for in order to slay the donkey was present, but it had Balaam’s name on it! As the hymn writer said, “I once was blind, but now I see!”
Of course there are other nuances to the Balaam’s Ass Story. However, for me, it is a needed reminder. There are many people in our lives who have a message for us. I have had my ministry disdained because I am female, because the people I serve maybe considered “other”, and because I travel not cut by denominational doctrine. I constantly search the horizon for God’s message and messengers (both spiritual and material) because I need God’s help to see what I might overlook.
As I remember that lesson that I learned so many years ago: If God can speak through Balaam’s Ass, God can certainly speak through me!
The donkey queries Balaam about his experience over the years with her. She tries to reason with him so that he will “see” and understand. However, he still does not understand until the angel of the Lord opens his eyes and he is able to see what the donkey saw: a kick-butt angel with a sword ready for Balaam! The sword he wished for in order to slay the donkey was present, but it had Balaam’s name on it! As the hymn writer said, “I once was blind, but now I see!”
Of course there are other nuances to the Balaam’s Ass Story. However, for me, it is a needed reminder. There are many people in our lives who have a message for us. I have had my ministry disdained because I am female, because the people I serve maybe considered “other”, and because I travel not cut by denominational doctrine. I constantly search the horizon for God’s message and messengers (both spiritual and material) because I need God’s help to see what I might overlook.
As I remember that lesson that I learned so many years ago: If God can speak through Balaam’s Ass, God can certainly speak through me!
Karen Lang +
Karen Lang and her soul mate, Maurice, live in Marion, Indiana. Their lives are enriched by their family, especially their two grand boys! Karen pastors the Rainbow Cathedral in Muncie, Indiana and is adjunct faculty for Ivy Tech Community College. Although Karen has been employed in a variety of capacities, she witnesses to and for an inclusive ecclesia.
(BA Political Science, University of Cincinnati; JD University of Cincinnati College of Law; MDiv Garrett-Evangelical; Pastor, Rainbow Cathedral, Muncie, IN; Adjunct Faculty, Ivy Tech Community College.)
