Don't Be Like A Mule
by Rita Langeland
© 2003 Hidden With Christ Ministries
Be not like the horse or mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you.
(Psalm 32:9-Amplified Bible)
We have a promise from God found in Psalm 32:8 that He will instruct us, lead us and guide us in the way in which we should go in life. God wants us to be people who can be led by God and not by our own “good ideas”. If you have ever tried to train a horse or a mule, you may have observed that they have their own ideas about which direction to go. In order to be led by God as described in Psalm 32:8, we are instructed in verse 9, to avoid the characteristics noted in the horse and mule. The horse and mule “lack understanding” according to this verse. The original Hebrew meaning of the word translated as “understanding” means to separate mentally, distinguish or discern, or to deal wisely.
Many Christians seem to have a hard time separating or discerning God’s guidance from their own thoughts. Yet this is a vital component for receiving God’s direction in our lives. Psalm 32:8 begins with these words: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go…" To receive God’s guidance and direction for your life you must be willing to receive His instruction and teaching first.
I have watched people run from church service to church service hoping to receive a “word from God” that will give them personal direction. Yet they spend no time studying His written Word which is filled with necessary instructions for life. They want someone else to get instructions for them. In order to become sensitive and discerning about God’s guidance for your life, you must spend time reading, meditating upon and memorizing God’s Word. Then it will become easier and easier to discern, distinguish and mentally separate what is God’s supernatural guidance to you personally and what are your own thoughts.
The value of growth and development in this area of your Christian walk cannot be overstated. An evangelist by the name of Paul Rader had grown very sensitive to God’s guidance in his life. He had spoken often with a non-Christian banker over the years but the man had remained resolutely disinterested in spiritual matters. The man was exhausted from overworking and for health reasons was sent to a sanitorium for a complete rest. One day, the evangelist clearly felt that God was instructing him to go immediately and visit the agnostic banker. Rader left right away, boarding a train which took him to the city where the private sanatorium was located.
Upon arriving at the facility where the banker was staying, the evangelist spotted his friend. The banker greeted him heartily, saying, “I am so glad to see you!” Rader replied, “I received your telegram.” The banker was astonished and said, “But I never sent it! I wrote one, begging you to come, but then I tore it up.” Rader replied, “That may be, but your message came by way of heaven.” The evangelist found that his friend was ready to receive Christ as His Savior and Lord. After praying together, the banker was filled with joy at his new found salvation. A few moments later, the banker fell dead in the evangelist’s arms.
God wants you to be able to clearly know when you are being prompted with a “God idea” and not just a “good idea.” Paul Rader’s ability to discern God’s guidance meant the difference between heaven and hell for that banker.
On a recent trip to Africa, a colleague and I met an American woman who was overseeing an orphanage for street children. She described the lack of basic nutrition the children experienced simply because the orphanage did not have the funds to supply the children with protein more than once per week. She described her desire to build a chicken coop and purchase some chickens for the orphanage so that they would have fresh eggs to supplement their diet. We planned to visit the orphanage later that week and had decided to donate the necessary funds to construct the chicken coop.
While thinking about the orphanage, I suddenly heard the Lord say, “I want you to buy them a cow.” The guidance was so strong and so specific, that I had no doubt that it was the Lord speaking to me. The fact that I had no idea if they wanted a cow or had room on their property for a cow, made absolutely no difference. Later that week, we went to the orphanage and the director gave us a tour. When we went into the back yard, there stood a recently constructed cow barn, complete with milking stations but empty of cows. A church group had donated the materials and labor to build the cow barn, but the orphanage did not have the money to purchase a single cow.
God wants to give you specific guidance in your life, so that you can be a blessing to others. You will experience an exciting and fulfilling life when God can direct you in both small and great things. Remember the promise of Psalm 32:8: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye. Because God can see every situation, past, present and future, His guidance is perfectly trustworthy. That is why the scripture says, "I will guide you with My eye." God’s vision is more trustworthy than our own!
Another characteristic of horses and mules which we are to avoid in our own lives, is that of stubborn disobedience. Even when an animal has heard a command and understood the intention of its master, an attempt to disobey the order may be observed. That is why the scripture says: Be not like the horse or mule, which lack understanding, which must have their mouths held firm with bit and bridle, or else they will not come with you. The bit and bridle mentioned here speak of forcing obedience out of one who does not give it willingly.
God does not want to “force” us to obey Him. He wants us to willingly give Him our obedience. Yet at times we can observe the use of “bit and bridle” in our lives as God attempts to guide us by “reining us in”. Jonah experienced a “bit and bridle” in the form of a whale after he had received very explicit directions from God which he flagrantly disobeyed. Jonah clearly understood God’s command, but he chose to disobey that command. The whale reined him in and brought him to a place of obedience. You may know exactly what God’s commandment to you is and at the same time choose to pull in the opposite direction. God may then allow your circumstances to “rein you in”.
However, if you will begin by choosing to obey the known commandments of God for your life, you will discover that you are spiritually attuned to the more subtle commands God will whisper to your heart. He will be able to say to you, “Go over there...call that person...don’t go in that direction…” because He can trust you to obey Him. God wants that kind of relationship.
The story is told of the rigorous training that Arabian horses undergo in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without water for many days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience, stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. When the trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go back to drink.
Now that is not the behavior of an ordinary horse. These special horses are highly intelligent and are very highly trained because the rider literally entrusts his life to the horse in the merciless desert of Arabia. God wants to be able to entrust us with his direction and guidance and know it will not be spurned. God does not want to have to force us with the bit and bridle of circumstances which come our way because of our own disobedience.
Do you long for God’s specific direction in your life? Start by reading and memorizing and treasuring His word. Then be careful to obey His commands and you will find He will entrust you with more and more specific direction for your personal life.
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