Palm Sunday. The first day of Holy Week. One of the last joyful days of Jesus’ earthly life leading up to His crucifixion. If you’ve grown up in church like me, you’ve heard the story. Jesus sends two of His disciples to go into a village near Bethany to acquire a donkey which He plans to ride on the road toward the Mount of Olives. This isn’t a spur of the moment decision on the part of Jesus; it’s a fulfillment of prophecy from the Old Testament book of Zechariah.
The books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record this story, and, in each account, Jesus prepares His disciples on how to respond if anyone inquires as to why the donkey is being taken. Luke’s account tells us that none other than the donkey’s owners ask the disciples why they are taking away their animal. The disciples’ simple reply of “The Lord needs it” is enough for the owners to joyfully oblige. You know what happens next. Jesus rides on the donkey to the tune of countless followers shouting “Hosanna” and loudly praising Him as their Lord.
But have you ever stopped to think about the faith of the donkey’s owners? We don’t know if they had ever met Jesus. Knowing that He spent a significant portion of His ministry in the vicinity of Bethany, we can assume that they had at least heard of Him. What strikes me, however, is their instant agreement to let go of one of their most valuable
assets to serve the Lord. Scripture doesn’t say that the disciples even assure them that their donkey will be returned. The owners, however, don’t demand answers to all of their questions. Simply knowing that the Lord needs their resource is enough for them to happily let it go.
We don’t know the owners’ names. We don’t know their stories. Truth be told, they play a very minor role in the overall story of Scripture. But, their trust and faith-filled obedience leads to one of the most powerful events in the days leading up to Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice. You might not think you’re called to play a big part in building God’s Kingdom. However, you have resources that, in the hands of God, can be used in greater ways than you could ever imagine. Will you trust Him with your resources today?
Jeremy Briggs
Student Pastor
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