05.02 | Steal a Donkey
Matthew 21:1-22
‘Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.”’
Matthew 21:1-2
What would you say if Jesus asked you to steal a donkey?
Eyebrows would be raised.
In fact, when we step back and have a good look, this whole scheme seems increasingly crackpot.
Go to Jerusalem—the place where the group is gathered that are explicitly trying to have you killed.
A mission that Jesus has now told them multiple times will lead toward a cross.
And now, this: Steal a donkey.
(Ok, it’s not quite stealing. The owner, when asked, clearly is happy for the donkey to go. But the disciples, at the point of asking, don’t know this.)
Being close to the mission of Jesus at this point must have been a whirlwind of confusion, with their basic, simple obedience being tested at every turn.
It’s going to get even harder as the day goes on.
Riding into the city with crowds naming Jesus as the Messiah in the very face of the Pharisees.
Driving money lenders from the temple to reclaim the courts that were meant to be for the Gentiles and stamp out the oppression of the poor.
Cursing a tree.
Obedience. It tests at our very core our allegiance to Him. It tests our fidelity to His person, rather than our comfort with His strategy.
Sometimes Jesus asks us to obey before we know why.
When Matthew looked back on this, many years later, these events would have made so much more sense. He’d have remembered the prophecy of Zechariah, who claimed that the Messiah King would come, not in military might and material splendour, but humble, and riding on a baby donkey.
In hindsight, he’d have remembered the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and seen that when God critiqued the corruption of the temple in their day, He was pointing forwards to a day of a purified temple in future where everyone—including the Gentiles, the blind, lame and children—would be welcomed and celebrated.
In hindsight, he’d have remembered that both Jeremiah and Joel described God’s people as being like a fig tree—an analogy pointing out that the people of God were supposed to bear the good fruit of justice, truth, peace, and purity, rather than the bad fruit of corruption. He’d have seen the cursing of the fig tree, not as an arbitrary act of petulant anger by a hangry rabbi, but as a prophetic act before the mountain of Jerusalem, showing that His coming exposed the toxicity of religiosity that had poisoned the heart of God’s people, and that His identity gave Him authority to call time on it.
In hindsight.
But in the moment, all that they have is a crackpot plan and a call of obedience to their perplexing rabbi.
Such moments are make or break moments in discipleship. Where the voice of the Lord goes against our better judgement, well-ordered sensibilities, and pre-existent values. It confronts us with the question: are we following Jesus only insofar as His ideas and approach to life aligns with ours, or will we dare to follow Him even when His commandments and Ways seem confusing, challenging, offensive, or impossible?
Go and steal a donkey.
Madness?
Or the vehicle upon which His glory and nature may become more manifest in your life?
Reflection:
Where is the Spirit inviting me into greater obedience today? Is there an idea or activity that He is inviting me to surrender? Is there a step of trusting obedience that I know I need to take?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
I want my life to be full of testimonies of your goodness,
And yet I know that testimonies are always told in hindsight.
They are told on the other side of obedience:
The other side of confusion;
Of doubt;
Of feeling afraid and bewildered.
They are told on the other side of the moments where I wonder if my rabbi is a genius or a crackpot.
Today, however, my choice is to serve you:
When I don’t understand;
Before the prayer is answered;
And when your strategies are a mystery to me.
Because this:
You are my Lord.
And that is my declaration, in the darkest valley and the most glorious mountain top.
And, Lord, in years to come,
When my hair is grey and I’m losing my teeth,
I may,
In hindsight,
Tell a thousand stories of how trusting obedience
Led to the enthronement of my King.
Lord, I’m in again,
A fool for you.
Send me.
In Your Name,
Amen.
Old Testament:
For those also reading the Old Testament this year, your additional readings are here:
Exodus 23:20-25:40 | Psalm 19