Numbers 22:26-30: a reflection

26The LORD’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27The donkey saw the LORD’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 28The LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.” 30The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”

As Balaam rides toward his intended purpose, the angel of the LORD stands in the way, unseen by Balaam but seen by his donkey, who turns aside and lies down to avoid it, saving Balaam's life. But Balaam, unable to see the angel, and blinded by his anger, beats the donkey for stopping, when in fact she was protecting him. He is furious at the very creature that was saving him from destruction, so blinded by his anger that he mistakes his protection for an obstacle. He beats what was helping him.

Notice Balaam's blindness: in his anger, he mistook his protection for a hindrance, striking what was saving him. The donkey was turning aside to save Balaam from the angel's drawn sword; she was protecting him. But Balaam, unable to see the danger and blinded by his anger at being stopped, beat her, treating his rescuer as an obstacle in his way. His anger blinded him to the truth; what was actually protecting him, he mistook for a hindrance and struck. He could not see, in his fury, that his frustration was his salvation.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too, in our anger, can be blind to what is actually helping or protecting us. When we are frustrated, angry that something has stopped or thwarted us, we can lash out at the very thing that is protecting us from harm we cannot see, mistaking our protection for a mere obstacle, as Balaam beat the donkey that was saving his life. Do not, in your anger at being thwarted, lash out at what may actually be protecting you; the frustration you rail against may be your salvation from a danger you cannot see. Consider, when you are angry that something has stopped or hindered you, whether it may be protecting you from harm you cannot see, rather than blindly striking at it as Balaam struck the donkey; for our anger can blind us to the protection in what frustrates us, and what we take for a hindrance may be God's protection, as the donkey Balaam beat was saving him from the angel's sword.

Lord, as Balaam rides toward his intended purpose, the angel of the LORD stands in the way, unseen by Balaam but seen by his donkey, who turns aside to avoid it, saving Balaam's life. But Balaam, unable to see the angel, and blinded by his anger, beats the donkey for stopping, when in fact she was protecting him. He is furious at the very creature that was saving him, so blinded by his anger that he mistakes his protection for an obstacle. Show me Balaam's blindness: in his anger, he mistook his protection for a hindrance, striking what was saving him. The donkey was turning aside to save Balaam from the angel's drawn sword. But Balaam, blinded by his anger at being stopped, beat her, treating his rescuer as an obstacle. His anger blinded him to the truth; what was actually protecting him, he mistook for a hindrance. Take that to my heart, for I too, in my anger, can be blind to what is actually helping or protecting me. When I am frustrated, angry that something has stopped or thwarted me, I can lash out at the very thing that is protecting me from harm I cannot see, as Balaam beat the donkey that was saving his life. Keep me from, in my anger at being thwarted, lashing out at what may actually be protecting me; the frustration I rail against may be my salvation from a danger I cannot see. Help me consider, when I am angry that something has stopped or hindered me, whether it may be protecting me from harm I cannot see, Lord, rather than blindly striking at it as Balaam struck the donkey.