Resurrection Day – 7: Content to be a Donkey?
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Matthew 21:1-11
"When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage,
at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them,
“Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find
a donkey tied and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’
And he will send them immediately.”
Seven days before Jesus rose from the dead, He rode into Jerusalem. The big city. The big moment. The big week. And what does he do? He sends two disciples on what sounds like a very small errand: “Go into the village ahead of you… you’ll find a donkey and a colt… untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks, just say, ‘The Lord needs them.’”
The Lord needs a donkey. A donkey? Yep! Not a warhorse. Not a chariot. Not a golden throne with trumpets and banners. A donkey.
A plain, everyday animal. The kind that carries loads, not applause. The kind that works in the background. The kind that rarely gets noticed unless it brays at the wrong time. And that’s the point.
Jesus rides into town in humility. He chooses a quiet creature to carry the King of kings. He chooses the low road on purpose.
Now, imagine being that donkey. You don’t write speeches. You don’t have much money to give. You don’t even wave palm branches. You just… carry Jesus wherever you go. And somehow, that was enough. The donkey did something no one else could do in that moment. It brought Jesus into the city.
But Palm Sunday whispers a different kind of message to us:
Be content to be a donkey (ordinary & useful).
Here’s the truth: God often does his greatest work through ordinary folks.
A faithful volunteer who unlocks the doors early.
A parent who prays over a sleeping child.
A friend who shows up when it’s awkward.
A giver who quietly keeps the lights on.
A servant who doesn’t need credit to keep going.
When the Lord needs you, your “ordinary” becomes holy.
So today, pray a simple prayer: “Jesus, I don’t need to be impressive. I just want to carry you.” Be content to be the donkey.
