Balaam, you remember, is going to meet Balak king of Moab, who wants him to curse Israel. At first God forbids Balaam, but latter tells him to go along to Moab. The part I loved as a child was when Balaam met an angel standing on the road between two stone walls. Balaam beats his donkey for balking.
And then this, from verses 32-25: “The angel of the Lord asked him, ‘Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.’
“Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, ‘I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.’
“The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, ‘Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.’ So Balaam went with Balak's officials.”
When I read it this morning, I wondered why God wanted to kill Balaam for something God told him to do? Then I read the statement, “I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.”
That makes it sound like Balaam was planning to try to put one past God. Maybe he had a scheme where he could walk the edges of God’s restriction and still skim some of Balak’s gold. I think this might be right because Balaam acknowledges he has sinned. Going to do God’s work with the idea of lining his own pockets put him on that path with a death-dealing angel. Reckless is right!
Now I’m mulling over my own recklessness, because sometimes I go to do God work for Greg purposes. I can get involved at church as much to make sure things go the right way (as if I really know what that is) as to serve. I can use my influence for changes that meet my preferences. I’m capable of seeking personal recognition just as much as I try to glorify God.
I see now that when I do those things I follow Balaam down his same reckless path, except I don’t have that all-seeing donkey. Am I going to walk into an angel one of these days? I don’t think so – I’m a committed follower of Jesus, who already paid that price. But sin still grieves God, and it also puts me in a bad place.
My problem is the same as Balaam’s: how do I keep my focus on a God I can’t see? It will take purposeful, intentional action; I can’t just push God to the back of my mind and expect to keep him first in my life.
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