What About The Trusty Steed?

I am honored to post as a part of the Lenten Blog Tour using the Common English Bible today.  If you have not been following the Blog Tour…you can catch all the great posts at the Lenten Blog Tour site.  I am blessed to have a very significant Palm Sunday passage…

As Jesus came to Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he gave two disciples a task.  He said, “Go into the village over there. When you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.  If someone asks, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say, ‘Its master needs it.’”  Those who had been sent found it exactly as he had said.  As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”  They replied, “Its master needs it.”  They brought it to Jesus, threw their clothes on the colt, and lifted Jesus onto it.  As Jesus rode along, they spread their clothes on the road.  As Jesus approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole throng of his disciples began rejoicing. They praised God with a loud voice because of all the mighty things they had seen.  They said,  “Blessings on the king who comes in the name of the Lord.  Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens.”  Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, scold your disciples! Tell them to stop!”  He answered, “I tell you, if they were silent, the stones would shout.” (Luke 19:29-40 – Common English Bible)

My daughter has a book that I absolutely love.  It is called “Dave the Donkey” by Andrew McDonough.  It is a great way to tell the Easter story…from the perspective of the donkey.  It is quite interesting…and wait until you find out who Dave’s grandpa is!

In a way…Dave’s story is our story.  That’s right…you are a donkey (or insert your favorite psuedo-donkey name).  Let that sink in a little bit.  You are a donkey (Brings new meaning to the insults of Gordon Ramsey on Hell’s Kitchen).  It is our job to carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to a lost world…just like Dave did.  There is a problem with that though.  I don’t want to be a donkey.

I am a pastor.  I am a church planter.  It is my job to gather people together in the name of Christ, share the grace of God, and help lead people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.  I get to carry people to Christ!!  That is awesome!  If you don’t realize how cool it is that God has given you the task…no…the opportunity…to share Him with a lost world…then you need to take some time and grasp that reality!

I am committed to being the best Christ carrier that I can be.  I picture myself with a long flowing mane, an awesome diamond studded saddle (one where the diamonds spell out, “You wish you were this cool”), and I would be a beautiful, almost glowing white.  I would be tall and fast like Man o’ War was.  The muscles of my legs would bulge underneath my skin.  I would be like the horse-version of He-Man’s Battle-Cat.  Basically…I would be the Stud of Studs…the Horse of Horses…the Steed of Steeds!

But there is a problem.  Jesus didn’t ride a trusty steed.  He rode a donkey.  He rode a little…run-of-the-mill donkey.  Jesus Christ entered the city triumphantly on a donkey.  Wouldn’t it have been better if he was on a trusty steed!  Wouldn’t it have been better if he was on the Steed of Steeds!!  I don’t want to be a donkey.  Donkeys are average.  Donkeys are normal.  Donkeys are…well…they aren’t trusty steeds.  Donkeys don’t get the glory that horses get.  And there…there is the problem.

Here is the difference between a donkey and a trusty steed:  No one notices the donkey…they notice the person on the donkey.

Do you see it?  Do you see why we must be donkeys…and stop trying to be trusty steeds?  If we want to truly carry the Gospel message to a lost world…we must always be pointing to Christ.  We must be pointing people’s attention toward Him and away from ourselves.  But that is not our nature.  We like the recognition.  We like the attention.  We like to be honored and glorified.  But deep down…you know that any honor and glory that you take…is honor and glory that should be given to Christ.

So, I guess the question we must ask ourselves is this:  Am I trying to be a trusty steed…or am I content in being the donkey that carries the Gospel message?

Read through Scripture.  God does not choose the stallions.  God does not choose the Steed of Steeds.  God chooses donkeys.  Moses, Noah, David, Samson, Elijah, the Disciples, Paul, and countless others…were all just normal run-of-the-mill donkeys.  That is…until God got ahold of them.

You will never become a trusty steed.  You will never build yourself up to be a stallion that carries the Gospel message.  The best thing you can do is embrace who you are.  You are a donkey.  Be a donkey.  Be a humble servant of God who redirects attention toward Christ.  If you do…there will come a time when Christ will have you untied so that you can carry Him to a lost world.  But…if your trying to be a stallion…or the Steed of Steeds…He will move on to someone who has embraced the fact that we are all donkeys and He is the One to be noticed.

My prayer today (and hopefully yours):

Father God, I am sorry.  I am sorry that I think I have to be something special for you to use me.  I am sorry that, at times, I do not embrace who you have created me to be…and in doing so…I miss opportunities to carry you to a lost world.  Lord, today I proclaim and own this:  I am a donkey!  I am a donkey…and proud of it!  Use me.  Use me to reach a lost world for you.  Let me be a blessing to those around me…not because I am something special…but because I am a simple donkey…humble and ready to carry the Savior to them.  Amen

CEB Bible Giveaway!!!

Here is your chance to get your free copy of the Common English Bible.  Just do the two things below…and one person will be randomly selected to win!  Winner will be posted in a subsequent blog post by Monday afternoon!  Good luck!

1 – Share this post on Twitter or Facebook.

2 – Leave this comment on this post: “I am a donkey…and proud of it!”  Include your name and how you followed #1 above in your comment.