An Unconventional Choice

As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’” (Mark 11:1-3) 
 
When Jesus went to make His entrance into the city of Jerusalem, He made quite the unconventional choice of transportation. Of all the cars on the market, of all the vehicles at the dealership, Jesus said, “I’ll take the donkey.”  
 
This was not an incidental selection by Jesus. It was very intentional so as to show us something about how God thinks. While donkeys were insignificant according to man, there was a donkey in God’s plan. The Lord chose a maligned, disregarded, and outcast of an animal to make His triumphant march into Jerusalem.  
 
While this may not have been the animal you or I would have used, it was precisely the animal God used to fulfill His greater plan. And so, the donkey teaches us that you don’t have to be beautiful to be used by God. You don’t have to be wealthy to be used by God. You don’t have to be bright to be used by God. This text is a manifesto for anyone who has said, “I’m not smart enough,” or “I’m not rich enough,” or “I’m not good enough.”  
 
If God can use a smelly, little donkey in the fulfillment of His plan, then He can use you and me as well. If God has a place in His purpose for something that’s been displaced by everybody else, then maybe God has a place for you too. So don’t buy into the lie that you aren’t enough for God to use you. Instead, trust Him to use you however He sees fit. He just might surprise you by how He places you into His plan.