Balaam’s Error

A Roman Catholic priest who had heard people confess every imaginable sin and crime, including murder and adultery, said that he had never heard anyone admit to being covetous. Yet coveting actually made God’s Big Ten—The Ten Commandments.

The Bible tells the story of Balaam, a prophet who was greedy for gold. He was hired by the Moabites to bring a curse upon Israel. He seemed to be a prophet working for profit. But as Balaam was preparing to carry out his assignment, God spoke to him and said, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed” (Numbers 22:12).

Balaam ultimately ignored God’s command. Then as he was making his way in disobedience to God, the donkey he was riding refused to go further. So he began to beat the donkey. And when the two reached an impasse, God opened the donkey’s mouth, who turned and said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?”

The animal had more sense than her master did. The Lord opened Balaam’s eyes spiritually, and standing in front of his donkey was an angel with his sword drawn. The angel essentially said, “It is a good thing for you that your donkey stopped. You were about to be killed.”

Greed kept Balaam out of harmony with the love of God, and it can do the same with us. We can become so focused on material things that they become more important to us than anything else.

Don’t let greed keep you out of harmony with the love of God.