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Hee Haw!



Last Sunday was Palm Sunday.

Every year, when I read the part about Jesus riding on the young donkey, my mind wanders off the topic of the triumphal entry and I think more about the donkey.

I know that's odd. Everyone else thinks of people shouting, “Hosanna!” or throwing coats and palm branches, or the people who tried to quiet the crowd. I'm thinking of the donkey.

I guess it's the situation that was forced on the poor thing. Everything about that day is bad for a colt donkey. One day he's chillin' with his mom at his home, the next minute someone he doesn't know is untying him and taking him away. Then, even though no one has ever sat on him before, someone throws a blanket on him then they proceed to mount a full grown man on his back. Then he is led down a road lined with crazy screaming people waving clothing and plants in his face.

And he's expected to be calm and obey. I don't think that is part of the donkey personality.

I worked at a church that did a humongous Easter pageant. We had a local guy who brought his donkey each year for the Palm Sunday scene in the play. We had to assign a cowboy who would, if necessary, take his fingers and stick them up the donkey's nose and pull him down the isle. Most of the time it worked.

I know the donkey is part of prophesy, so the writer includes it in the narrative. But there is something more that I think of each year.

God calls us all to leave our familiar surroundings to do a job that he has planned for us to do. That job could put us doing things we've never done before. It will make us uncomfortable at times. It will be scary at times. But His expectation is that we remain calm and obey. I really don't want someone to have to stick their fingers up my nose to make me walk straight.


Now you can join me next year. When the preacher is delivering his annual Palm Sunday sermon, you'll be thinking about the donkey.

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