Come take up the cross and follow me. ~Mark 10:21NKJV
You may answer stubborn, cantankerous, or hard to handle. I wonder why we associate donkeys with these unappealing descriptions? Could it be because of the story of Balaam and the talking donkey in Numbers 22? It wasn't the donkey that was stubborn. She had always served Balaam well. She had borne his burdens in humble, peaceful obedience. Now when the angel stood with a drawn sword to kill Balaam with wisdom she halted and refused to go further. It's not always the donkey who is stubborn.
Six days before the crucifixion, Jesus instructed his disciples to go into the city where two ways met and lose the donkey for Jesus to ride. If anyone asked why, they were to say the Lord has need of it. (Mark 11 KJV).
Jesus planned to ride the donkey into Jerusalem as Zechariah prophesied. (Zecheriah 9:9). Two ways were also meeting in the spiritual world and the people would need to choose their way.
This seems odd to us that the Lord would choose to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. But the Hebrew culture understood perfectly. When a king rode into a city on a horse he was a king who conquered by force. When a king entered the city on a donkey, it was a sign of a transfer of leadership. Jesus didn't ride in to take Jerusalem by force but to lead the people to God. Many people were in the city for Passover. Many had seen Jesus at Mary and Martha's home. They came not only to see Jesus but Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They were excited to think the prophecies of Daniel and others seemed to be coming to pass. Only they didn't understand that the Messiah was to come as their sacrifice, not as their conquering king to overthrow the Roman government.
The disciples put their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus. The people strew their cloaks on the road and cut palm branches to lay down before Him. People went before and behind Jesus saying, "Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
The donkey carried Jesus all the way to the temple. The donkey peaceably, humbly served Jesus. Just a little colt, did she suffer under the weight of a man? She put Jesus on display before the people.
The question is "Am I a donkey?" Since the beginning of time, almost all donkeys have borne a sign of suffering on their backs. Look back at the picture. Can you see the dark line coming off his shoulder? The fur has a dark line down the spine and across the shoulders creating a cross. Jesus commands us to take up the cross and follow him. The donkey carries a cross on his back every day.
Do I have a humble spirit, a peaceable spirit, a serving spirit that puts Jesus on display for all to see even if it means a little ridicule? The donkey has taken a lot of ridicule over the ages. Others around the world suffer persecution, sometimes even death because they serve the risen Lord. What can I do to serve the Lord every day, to put Him on display, to bear the burden of being called Christian?
Heavenly Father, we are at an intersection. Help me be willing to display Your love and sacrifice before the world by serving with a humble, peaceable spirit even if it means my own suffering. You commanded us to take up our cross and follow you. Help me be your donkey. In Jesus's name. Amen.
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