"And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?"
Numbers 22:27-28
This is just part of a story about Balaam, but I like this part of it because I love that God opens the mouth of an animal to give feedback to Balaam after she saves his life three times. I think it is interesting that he opens her mouth, and I wonder if all animals had their mouths opened like this what kind of feedback we would get from them.
I also think these verses are a huge reminder that we need to stay close to the spirit. Balaam was tempted to use his position as a prophet to gain riches and honor, and God reminds him that would be unwise. But sometimes we do similar things, not thinking about it too much, or at least trying to avoid thinking about it too much. Perhaps Balaam thought it wasn't a really big deal if someone made his life a little easier in return for some prophecy. God's angel rebuked him for going for the wrong reasons, but then told him to do it anyway, this time for the right reasons... to actually do God's will, and his alone. Motivation matters. Desire matters. We become who we want to be, and we're making that decision all the time.
Today, let's think about our motivation, and make sure we aren't betraying God in order to get something for ourselves. ... And let's be kind to animals, who might have something to say about it. :)
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