Stories Jesus Told Me; Jesus and the lost Donkey
“Sometimes, when you do not know the way, you just have to follow someone home.”
Excerpted from Stories Jesus Told Me
One day, while Jesus and I were crossing the high desert, Jesus came upon a donkey standing in the remains of an old house. “Look,” Jesus said, “a feral donkey out here in the desert alone.”
“I’m not feral,” the donkey heeded as if insulted. “I’m lost.” As he turned toward us we could see his halter.
“Well where are you trying to go?” Jesus asked.
“Back to the ranch,” the donkey hawed.
“Which ranch?” Jesus asked.
“The ranch were I was born and raised,” the donkey whinnied.
“You can talk to the donkey?” I asked, amazed at what Jesus was doing.
“Of course, I can talk to everyone,” Jesus answered. “Not everyone hears me. Now what is the name of the ranch were you were born and raised?” Jesus asked the donkey.
“Ranches have names?” the donkey heehawed, “I never knew.”
“Have you tried following your tracks?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” the donkey whinnied as if he were crying,”but there are donkey tracks going every direction , and I don’t know which one to take. Can you help me?”
“Of course I can help you,” Jesus assured him. “Follow me and you will not be lost.”
“You know the way?” the donkey brayed.
“No,” Jesus warmly replied, “but I am sure we will find someone who does.”
“Okay,” the donkey brayed again. “At least, if we are lost we’ll be lost together.”
The three of us walked for hours until darkness came and Jesus decided it was time to make camp. The donkey volunteered to stand guard as Jesus and I slept. The next morning we came upon a ranch. “This is not my ranch,” the donkey heeded. Even though I couldn’t understand what the donkey was saying I could tell he was saddened.
“Don’t worry,” Jesus assured him with a pat on his nose, “I’m sure there is someone here who will know your brand.”
“Is that why they branded me,” the donkey heehawed, “so people will know where I belong?”
“Yes, my little burro,” Jesus replied. “The pain you felt as a foal has brought you good fortune today. We shall ask someone if they know your brand.”
“Then I can go home?” the donkey brayed.”
“Then you can go home,” Jesus reconciled.
In less than an hour we came upon a man who was looking over his own herds of cattle, horses, and donkeys. “Is this your donkey?” Jesus asked.
“No it is not,” the man answered, “but looking at that brand I know where he belongs. His home belongs to a close friend, and I’d be more than happy to show you the way. My friend will be very happy to see his burro returned.”
A few hours later we walked down the long drive leading to the ranch the donkey called home. The little donkey was heehawing his heart out even before we stopped, as the other donkeys came running to greet him. Happy to be home the donkey heehawed, “Sometimes, when you do not know the way, you just have to follow someone home.”
Jesus only nodded and said, “May you never wander so far again.”
To be continued…