God Speaks Through Asses

I'm typing from a cabin down by a stream as the snow starts to fall. I'm on a 'family sabbatical' that I'll talk about more later. I brought my Bible, and one new book that I'm interested in reading. It's this book that prompted the post you read now. You see, though I don't personally know the author, I know some other folks who know him intimately. And the honest truth is, these people that I know and respect, have had some hurtful experiences with the author. So does that invalidate his book? Can he still write an anointed message? Should I disdainfully throw the book out?

To go into business today, is to have a voice. Unless you are selling a commodity on the shelves of Walmart and competing basically on price alone, you'll have to be comfortable communicating with people what the value and core message of your product or service is. You'll need to be open and authentic and known, and speak what you believe…your

. So…who the heck are YOU to speak to anyone? To guide and lead us anywhere? To claim expertise or authority that equips you to influence ME? I bet you have…problems. That right there…is what keeps many a good man and woman down. We marginalize ourselves. We doubt ourselves. We second-guess ourselves. What I've learned over time is that the most 'intellectual' and 'self-aware' someone is, the quicker they are to discount themselves. Yet we spend so much time reading and listening to 'wisdom' from others. You assume…

…that they 'have it all together'. That they've arrived to some degree that qualifies them to speak, and you haven't. That they've climbed to the top of a mountain you can only dream of, or must spend a long time ascending before you are worthy. Now granted, most good and true messages come from some degree of overcoming or understanding. But surely, surely not from perfection. And while you can have some success in one area, you can still be struggling mightily in another. Back to the author I started talking about here. I honestly think God will speak to me through the book. I've been fortunate to know some big name authors and speakers and experts and seen 'behind the curtains' of their stage presence and into their real lives. They are regular, flawed people. Many of the very sages you revere, you would NOT like if you spent a day one-on-one with them. And you'd be sorely surprised at areas in their lives that are less than successful, respectful or worthy of your reverence. Yet what they wrote or spoke that helped you, is VALID!

In my Bible, Numbers 22:28, the Lord speaks through an ass. Literally, "And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam…" That was literal. A talking donkey. God…spoke…through an ass. Go read it in your Bible. Figuratively, most of the life-changing wisdom you are gleaning from all the wise sages in your life, is very similar to this verse in Numbers. That's not to diss anyone. It's to motivate YOU. If God can speak through a donkey, if He can speak through the authors and speakers and leaders that you think are so great but are really…NOT, then there is great hope for you. DO NOT WAIT TO BECOME PERFECT. DO NOT WAIT TO ARRIVE. SPEAK NOW, WHILE YOU'RE AN ASS.

Just like with the author whose book I'm reading now. I'm am grateful he didn't wait till he was not an ass, to write it. Cause I need the message, and

to hear and communicate it. I hope you're glad I didn't wait either, cause if you're reading this, then your listening to an ass. Hee haw. Come on. Speak. Step out. Now.