Get Off Your High Horse

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, it's Christmas time in the city. In my city, that means the annual Christmas parade. This was number 55; I'd say that is pretty annual. As far as I know, I have been to 45 of the 55. It's just one of those Christmas things that you do and don't really ever think about. It, like everything else, has changed some over the years. The majorettes used to twirl batons, now its flags. There used to be a lot of bands and a few cars. Now there are fewer bands and more cars.

In my small, southern city it is still ok to call it a "Christmas" parade. We haven't downgraded to a "holiday" parade yet. We still say "Merry Christmas" instead of "happy holidays.” Some of us still remember the "holiday" is all about the birth of Jesus Christ. We haven't forgotten where the name "Christ"mas came from.

This year "Jesus" was even in our parade. There was a Christian horseback riding club. Each rider carried banners. The banners displayed the many names of our Lord- wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of peace, alpha, omega, I am, Emanuel. The man who was dressed as Jesus in a long white robe had grown his hair long for this occasion. It was a very convincing portrayal. He was only going by paintings he had seen of Jesus. None of us really know what He looked like. We can only imagine.

There was one thing about this "Jesus" that didn't match up with what we usually think of when we think of our Jesus from the gospels. This guy was, as everyone else in this group, riding a horse. My son was the first to notice the inconsistency. He said, "Mom didn't Jesus ride a donkey?” I remembered that Jesus did indeed humble himself and ride a donkey.

John 12:14 Then Jesus, when he had found a young donkey, sat on it as it is written 15 Fear not daughter of Zion; Behold your king is coming sitting on a donkey's colt.

I thought of the many things we can learn from Jesus not thinking He was too good to ride a donkey. We usually want the best jobs with prestige if we are going to do any work for the Lord. Cleaning the restrooms or keeping the nursery at the church aren’t the kind of jobs people usually jump for. We would much rather do something like singing a solo in the Christmas cantata or get a pat on the back for the fruit baskets we bought for someone else to deliver to the nursing home. How cool is it to be the one to go and choose the pastor's Christmas gift? As with the fruit baskets, you get the credit for choosing a gift with money that other people donated.

When Jesus was on this earth, among men and women, as we are, He usually ended up with the jobs that no one else would want. How would you like to go around people with all kinds of diseases and, perish the thought, actually touch them? How would you like to go on an unending missionary journey with some fishermen and a tax collector as your companions? How would you like to perform actual miracles and instead of a pat on the back you get your back nailed to a cross?

Today we need to get off our "high horses", humble ourselves, and ride a lowly donkey. Jesus did. He was here as a humble servant. He was rewarded with a crucifixion. He humbled himself for all of us when He was nailed to that cross a living sacrifice for our sin. When He returns to earth, He's not going to be humble this time. He will return as a mighty warrior on a high horse, a stallion, for all of us who believe that being humble enough to ride a donkey is a good thing.

Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Matthew 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child; the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

By Judy Parker

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