Balaam's Talking Donkey
- Jun 20
- 3 min read
Meditate at Eight: Ponderings
Last night before bed, I reminded Tori (my dog) that Friday is our sleep-in day. By this morning at 5:15 am, she had obviously forgotten. Of course, none of this is her fault. She's a dog. I'm at fault for talking to her like she could possibly understand. And that got me thinking about a story in the Bible ... the one about a talking donkey. Have you heard that one?
You know the story will be wild when a donkey starts talking.
Out of all the dramatic moments in Scripture—plagues, parting seas, and fiery furnaces—one of the most delightful, surprising, and strange is tucked into the book of Numbers. Yes, Numbers, that underrated Old Testament gem that rarely gets preached from. It includes an episode out of a Disney film: Balaam and his talking donkey. You can find the story in Numbers 22:21–35. (Didn't Shrek have a talking donkey?)
Here’s the scene: Balaam, a prophet-for-hire with questionable judgment, is trotting off to curse Israel (after being told not to by God, mind you), when his donkey starts acting up. First, she veers off the road into a field for no apparent reason. Then she crushes Balaam’s foot against a wall. Finally, she sits down and refuses to budge. Balaam, clearly missing the divine red flags, whacks the poor animal each time.
And then, because God has a flair for the dramatic and a sense of humor, the donkey turns to face Balaam and says, “Why are you hitting me?”
Wait, what?
I'd been beyond shocked if Tori started talking to me, but Balaam doesn’t even blink. He starts arguing with her, like talking donkeys are normal. But then, the story gets even weirder (if that's possible). After the donkey says to Balaam, “Haven’t I been a good donkey all my life?”, a good defense if I've ever heard one, a sword-wielding angel appears on the scene. It's now that Balaam realizes, "Oh, maybe I’m the one in the wrong here."
It's definitely a strange tale. But like all Scripture, it makes a point which hits home.
How often have I forged ahead with my plans, oblivious that God might be trying to get my attention? I get so self-absorbed that I fail to see that God might be using a "divine donkey" to get my attention. Sometimes I blame the traffic jam, the unexpected delay, the closed door… but what if those are the things God is using to try and get my attention, to divert me from making a mistake?
And if I’m being honest, I wonder how many times I’ve metaphorically smacked the donkey in frustration, only to miss the angel standing right in front of me.
God speaks to us in unexpected and unpredictable ways—and, in Balaam's case, through a donkey. Sometimes God's voice might just sound like a braying voice in our head saying, “Hey! Slow down. Maybe there’s something you’re not seeing.”
So the next time your day doesn’t go as planned, or something (or someone) seems to be getting in your way, pause for a moment. Is the interruption a nuisance, or is God trying to talk to you?
And if your dog, cat, or goldfish suddenly starts speaking to you, I don't know what to say. Maybe call a friend or a therapist. But also, maybe listen.
“Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth…” (Numbers 22:28)
As it turns out, when God wants to get a message through, the messenger may be, for lack of a better word, strange.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me enough to get in my way.
When I'm headed down the wrong path, open my eyes. Help me listen for your voice, even from unexpected places. Give me humility when stubborn, clarity when confused, and grace when frustrated. And if you need to get my attention, don’t let me miss the angel in the road. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thanks to Rev. Denise Robinson of Ridge UMC in Munster, Indiana, for allowing her pondering to be shared on our site,
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