Kids, crooks and the Donkey Rider

Today: Matthew 20-21

If you had omnipotent power and were making a grand entrance, how would you do it?

I think I would fly on the cotton-candy pink dragon from "Neverending Story." Or soar from the sky in a stunning red vintage Valentino gown. Or perhaps I'd fly in a glass elevator like the kid from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Yeah...those would all be pretty amazing. :) But Jesus chose just about the last mode of transportation I would ever pick. He chose...a donkey.

A donkey?

First of all, donkeys smell. They're kind of small for carrying a grown man--awkward-looking and uncomfortable. They don't steer very well (can we say stubborn?). I can't even imagine a fairytale prince riding a donkey...let alone the King of Kings and Son of God.

But that's exactly what happened. Jesus didn't roll into town in a talking car like David Haselhoff on Knight Rider...he was the ultimate Donkey Rider.

And let's talk about the people who followed Him. They weren't exactly the in-crowd at the Temple or A-list politicians. Nope--His followers included a bunch of little kids and what the Bible describes as "crooks and whores." Quite a crew, don't you think?

When I think about these things, I have such an interesting picture of Jesus. He is a God that the crooks, whores and kids felt comfortable with. He was confident and humble enough to ride on a donkey--He didn't need the hoopla of a white horse (or pink dragon, for that matter!), even though He probably deserved them. He was reach-able to people who were real, flawed, rough, simple and innocent. These people had a simple faith--but radically changed lives.

Those that stuggled most with Jesus? The religious, cynical, careless, proud and arrogant. Here's what He said to them:

I tell you that crooks and whores

are going to precede you into God's kingdom.

John came to you showing you the right road.

You turned up your noses at him,

but the crooks and whores believed him.

Even when you saw their changed lives,

you didn't care enough to change and believe him.

I typically don't count myself in the same camp as crooks and whores. But maybe I should aspire to exactly that. To care, to change and to believe with child-like faith in the power of a life-altering, donkey-riding King.

Tomorrow: Matthew 22-23