Daily Devotional

“So, the donkey said to Balaam, ‘Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?’ And he said, ‘No’ ” (Numbers 22:30). 

They weren’t really looking for a donkey to add to the farm. But Jon and Maria Katz had rescued other animals, and they couldn’t turn down the state trooper’s request to take an abused, weak, malnourished, nearly dead donkey named Simon. 

The animal’s recovery was difficult. He needed continual care. Jon fed him by hand, read to him, took him on walks, and even talked to him as an old friend. Slowly Simon’s health improved. And then, as if to give back to Jon, the donkey revealed the true meaning of compassion—it changed the animal owner’s heart. Jon learned to understand mercy in a new light. (Jon Katz, Saving Simon: How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion (New York: Ballantine Books, 2014.) 

Balaam had a donkey that needed to be rescued. The former prophet of God found the “wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:15) too tantalizing. When the king of Moab offered to pay the apostate man good money to curse Israel, he couldn’t resist. Though warned in a dream not to go, he pushed forward, saddling his donkey and riding to Moab. 

Along the way his donkey seemed to gain a mind of her own. First, she turned off the path and went into a field. Balaam struck the donkey to get her back on the road. Then she pressed against a narrow passage and crushed Balaam’s foot. Once more his anger let loose and he whipped the beast. Finally, the animal simply sat down underneath her owner. Notice Balaam’s wicked response: “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” (Numbers 22:29). 

The donkey stopped because an angel had held out a sword. Though Balaam wanted to kill the donkey, that very animal had saved his life. What a contrast between man and beast! It seems even the animals have les- sons to teach us. 

Lord, may I always show kindness to the creatures You have created for me to enjoy and learn from.