Opening Illustration – “Ever had your GPS yell at you?”
You ever argue with your GPS?
You know that calm, polite voice that starts out helpful but eventually sounds like it’s losing patience?
> “In two hundred feet, turn left.”
“Recalculating.”
“Make a U-turn. Make a U-turn. MAKE A U-TURN!”
And when you still don’t listen, you can almost feel it sigh and say,
> “Fine. Drive into the lake. See if I care.”
Now imagine that voice not coming from your phone… but from a donkey.
Welcome to Donkey Encounter — the day heaven activated the world’s first talking GPS with hooves.
I’m that donkey. I don’t have Bluetooth or a dashboard screen. But that day, I was God’s navigation system for a man named Balaam who refused to listen.
And before you laugh too hard — you’ve ignored your GPS, too.
Not the one in your car, but the one in your soul — the Holy Spirit that keeps whispering, “Slow down. Don’t go there. Turn around.”
This isn’t a story about a talking animal; it’s a story about a patient God who will do whatever it takes to stop you before you self-destruct.
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Act I – The Journey
It started early. Balaam saddled me up, muttering about a royal invitation. The king of Moab wanted him to come curse God’s people — for a big paycheck.
Now, I’m just a donkey. I carry stuff. I don’t make prophecies. But even I could tell — something felt wrong.
We started down the road. The desert air shimmered like heat off asphalt. Balaam was humming, already planning his victory speech.
Then suddenly — there he was.
An angel.
Right in the middle of the path. Sword drawn. Eyes blazing.
And Balaam? Totally blind.
He didn’t see a thing.
He just kicked me and shouted, “Move, you stupid beast!”
So I swerved off the road into a field. You’d think he’d thank me for saving his life. Nope. He beat me and dragged me back on track.
We hadn’t gone far when the angel appeared again — this time in a narrow lane between vineyard walls.
No room to turn. No exit ramp. I pressed up against the wall to squeeze past, crushing Balaam’s foot. He screamed in pain and whacked me again.
Third time. Narrow pass, nowhere to go. The angel stood right there — sword flashing like sunlight off a mirror.
So I did the only sensible thing.
I sat down.
Right in the middle of the road.
Balaam lost it. He beat me like I’d ruined his résumé.
And heaven said, Enough.
Suddenly, words spilled from my mouth.
> “What have I done to you that you’ve beaten me these three times?”
And instead of running away, Balaam argued back!
> “You’ve made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I’d kill you right now!”
Really? You’d kill the only one saving your life?
I said,
> “Haven’t I been your donkey all your life? Have I ever done this before?”
And he paused — for the first time that day, he thought.
Then God opened his eyes.
He saw the angel — sword drawn, standing in the road.
Balaam dropped his stick, fell face-down in the dust.
The angel said, “Why have you beaten your donkey? If she hadn’t turned aside, I would have killed you and spared her.”
So yeah — the donkey lived. The prophet almost didn’t.
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Act II – The Mirror
Now let’s switch mirrors for a second. Because this isn’t just Balaam’s story — it’s ours.
Every one of us has a little Balaam in us.
We charge down roads we know are wrong, pretending we don’t see the warning signs.
Balaam wasn’t confused. God had already told him no.
But when more money showed up, he went back to “pray” again — not to get God’s direction, but to get His permission.
You ever do that?
“Lord, should I date this person?” — even though you know they’ll drag your faith down.
“God, should I take this job?” — though it’ll pull you away from church.
“God, is this habit really that bad?” — while you’re already halfway there.
We don’t want God’s will. We want His stamp of approval.
So we keep riding.
And when the Spirit whispers, “Stop,” we kick harder.
But here’s the mercy: God still loves us enough to block the road.
He puts walls on both sides — a sickness, a breakup, a disappointment — anything to slow you down before the crash.
Sometimes the road that looks right can ruin you.
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Balaam thought he was heading for promotion; he was one step from destruction.
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Act III – God’s Voice in Strange Places
Why a donkey?
Because pride can make you deaf to prophets but open to the ridiculous.
If God had sent another prophet, Balaam might’ve argued.
So God picked something Balaam couldn’t out-rank — a donkey.
He’ll still do that.
If you won’t listen to sermons, He’ll talk through circumstances.
If you tune out your parents, He’ll use a friend.
If you scroll past Bible verses, He might use a meme.
If you ignore gentle nudges, He might let the whole plan fall apart.
Because sometimes your biggest embarrassment is God’s loudest mercy.
He’s saying, “I’m trying to save you from something you can’t see.”
Picture it: Balaam’s beating his donkey, furious she’s stopped. But from heaven’s angle, she’s the only thing keeping him alive.
You ever get mad at the very thing God used to protect you?
The relationship that ended.
The scholarship you didn’t get.
The prayer that didn’t go your way.
You thought God was blocking your blessing; He was blocking your burial.
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Act IV – The Call
When Balaam finally saw the angel, he said, “I have sinned. I didn’t realize you were standing in the way.”
He offered to turn back — but deep down, he still wanted the payday.
He went on to Moab anyway, and though he blessed Israel with his mouth, his heart stayed divided.
He never truly listened.
And that’s the tragedy.
He had an encounter with God — a Donkey Encounter — and still chose his own way.
Some of you are riding hard down roads that look shiny and successful, but the angel’s already waiting ahead with sword drawn.
You can’t see it yet — but God can.
Maybe this message is your donkey moment.
Maybe tonight God’s saying, “Stop before I have to make your donkey talk.”
He’d rather bruise your pride than bury your soul.
The God who opened a donkey’s mouth can open your heart — if you’ll stop long enough to listen.
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Closing Appeal
When God blocks your path, it’s not punishment — it’s protection.
When He closes a door, it’s not rejection — it’s redirection.
When He lets you hit a wall, it’s mercy saying, “You’re heading toward a sword.”
If He can speak through a donkey, He can speak through your disappointment.
If He can use a beast of burden, He can use your burden to bring you back.
So what’s your donkey saying tonight?
Maybe it’s that uneasy feeling you keep ignoring.
Maybe it’s your friend who keeps asking, “Are you okay?”
Maybe it’s the voice of conscience whispering, “Turn around.”
Before you kick again — pause.
Look up.
There’s an angel on the road.
And behind that angel stands a Savior who loves you too much to let you die chasing the wrong dream.
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Final Words – (Donkey’s Voice)
If I could speak again, I’d tell Balaam:
> “I wasn’t trying to ruin your trip. I was trying to save your life.”
And maybe God’s saying the same thing to you:
> “I’m not trying to make your life miserable. I’m trying to make it meaningful.”
He’s still speaking — through Scripture, through setbacks, through stories like mine.
So, listen.
Before He has to make your donkey talk.
