My Little Bodyguard

"Link is your bodyguard, Mama," Dylan said to me a couple of days ago.  Link is our little poodle and he follows me around the house wherever I go.  Often seen laying by my side as I sit at my workstation at home, he is very quick to growl and loudly bark at anyone or anything that walks, runs, flies, flutters or rides outside.  Long before any of us, especially me, sees the "danger," Link is already by the window, making his ferocious presence known, giving a voice of alert that is impossible for anyone to ignore. 

As I see Link peacefully laying by my feet this morning, it's kind of surprising to think how, in a matter of seconds, at the slightest sound that may signal someone is outside (a signal that goes totally unnoticed to me most of the time, of course), he would jump to attention and start his protective routine...leaving me no other alternative than to go and check out what's going on (thank Goodness this is a rather quiet neighborhood...).

I read chapter 22 of Numbers a couple of days ago, and after scratching my head about that totally bizarre incident when a donkey speaks, I thought of Link.  I thought of my little bodyguard and of all the people, animals, things, events, etc. that God uses to communicate with us...to warn us of danger...to protect us...to show us the right way...to keep us safe.

26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

32 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. 33 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.”

34 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.” (Numbers 22: 26-34)

How many times we walk around completely blinded by whatever it is that clouds our minds, hearts and eyes, and we fail to see the harm that awaits a few steps ahead if we continue to go on that direction of recklessness...completely unaware of the danger?  God, in His compassion uses something or someone...often the one we least expect or the one we most ignore, to sound the alarm.  And how many times, we are so caught up on our own selves, that the signal has to be rather shocking in order to catch our attention, wake us up and make us see.

I know that Link's loud and annoying bark at the slightest movement outside our house is most likely never going to be the sign of imminent danger and harm for me or my family.  But, after reading about Balaam's donkey...I tell you, I'm thinking I better always pay attention.  I don't want to have the Lord open his mouth and make him start speaking in intelligibly words to me due to my hardheadedness. I'm most happy to endure the annoying loud bark of my little bodyguard.

May the Holy Spirit give us awareness and wisdom to discern the warning signs that are displayed in front of us through the actions and words of others around us as a protection from imminent danger.  In the Precious Name of Jesus.  Amen!