Monday, December 19, 2011

Thank You for the Donkey

In anticipation of Christmas, I'm revisiting a series of guest posts that I wrote last year for Tommy Nelson. Our family wishes yours a very blessed Christmas season. . . .

Thank You for the donkey
That helped them all to leave
And got Mary to Bethlehem
In time for Christmas Eve!

Thank You for the donkey,
Your precious Christmas gift.


“Thank You for the donkey.” That always gets a giggle out of the kids.

I’ll ask them, “How many of you have a donkey on your Christmas list?” There’s always one who raises his hand. (And I’m saying “his” because it’s usually a boy with a wry grin.) I then ask them, “How many of you have ever said thank you for the donkey?”

That gets a lot of funny looks. I mean, why would you? He’s just an extra in the Christmas story. Donkeys, in general, are an awkward version of the majestic horse. They have huge, bucked teeth, and they even make a ridiculous sound. Hee-haw!

But for some reason, God chose the donkey as the star of several biblical stories. A donkey spoke to His prophet, Balaam. A donkey carried Jesus into Jerusalem on that fateful Palm Sunday. And a donkey carried God’s unborn Son and Mary all the way to Bethlehem.

Can you imagine if a very pregnant Mary had to walk all the way to Bethlehem? (I’m guessing Christmas would have come a couple of days earlier. . . .)

The donkey is our sweet, unsung, unsuspecting hero. It humbly carries its load without complaint and without thanks.

And that’s all the more reason to say, “Thank You for the donkey.”

I know Mary did.

What unsung heroes should you thank God for today?

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