On the Brink

Once upon a time, there was this man who had a disability in his leg. He would walk for long distances to strengthen his legs. One day he was out in the countryside surrounded by rolling hills with rough, rocky, and uninhabited terrain. He was a couple miles from home and felt exhausted. He prayed that someone would come along who could offer him a ride back home.

Eventually, he saw a short distance away someone riding a donkey. As the rider drew closer, he noticed that it was the ranch owner making his daily on the property. The crippled man explained he just couldn’t get back home without some help. He asked to borrow the rancher’s donkey to carry him home.

The rancher was glad to help. “Oh, there’s no problem. I can loan you the donkey. However, before I let you go with the donkey, I have to tell you some things about him. This donkey is a bit unusual. He’s been trained to follow different cues than most donkeys. When you want him to go, you don’t say, 'Gitty up!' You say, 'Praise the Lord!’ He won’t move if you say, 'Gitty up!' And once you get him going, if you want to speed up, just repeat, 'Praise the Lord!' And then, when you want to stop, you don’t say, 'Whoa!’ You say, 'Amen!' “Now it’s real important that you use the words this donkey understands, 'Amen!’ to stop, and 'Praise the Lord!’ to go. If you’ll remember that, you won’t have any problem at all.”

Grateful for the rancher’s generosity, the crippled man mounted the donkey. Comfortable in the saddle, he said, “Praise the Lord,” and the donkey moved right out. Now that he was riding, he decided to go the longer route. So he said to the donkey, “Praise the Lord!” He moved faster and faster.

As he came around a curve, immediately he saw what looked like a river bank, but no bridge. It looked dangerous. He began to say, “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” but the donkey didn’t stop. He was getting closer and closer to the dangerous edge. He couldn’t think of the right word. Somehow just before going over the dangerous edge, he remembered the right command, “Amen!” and the donkey stopped right on the brink.

Overjoyed, the man raised his hands toward the sky and shouted, "Praise the Lord!"

Whether we recognize it or not, we are always “on the brink” or at the edge of making some form of personal choices. Rarely will your brink be as dramatic as that of the man on the donkey, but every decision, every choice, every commitment you make, be it ever so small or seemingly insignificant at the time can impact and effect you on your life’s journey.

It all began with the small loaf beside the lake where thousands of people were fed. Then we learned that the “Bread of Life” is more than ordinary bread. It is: hope, belief, faith, purpose, vision, curiosity, intimacy, love, peace, forgiveness from guilt. All the ingredients that put quality into living every day while, at the same time, giving us a taste of God’s promise for eternal life. 

God is walking with us this morning when we pray: “The Lord your God has blessed you in all the works of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness.” (Deuteronomy 2:7)

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that every decision we make his day reflects your kindness and generosity to love one another as you love us with every breath we take.