Writer: Gawaya Tegulle. PHOTO/FILE
Once upon a time, in the days when men were still men and lizards walked in twos, there was a materialistic, covetous fellow called Balaam, for whom the word ‘enough’ didn’t exist at all.
As long as there was money in it for him, Balaam would do anything – no matter how ridiculous or illegal or unrighteous the project was. Now, that is how fairy tales usually begin and it is easy to dismiss all this as a fairy tale; except that in this case one can safely point out that Balaam did exist and that the incident in question, Middle Eastern historians tell us, happened 2,488 years after creation. He lived in a place called Pethor in Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq.
An otherwise good fellow, Balaam, a prophet, was afflicted with the malaise of covetousness; and he easily sold his soul to Balak, a man who sought to destroy Israel. Let the record reflect that Balak was not an Israelite – he was a foreigner.
Balak was part of a grand plan of a couple of nations (Moab and Midian) that sought to take over and dominate the region. To do that, they needed to eliminate every possible threat and Balak, King of Moab (present-day Southern Jordan) sought to use Balaam to curse the Israelites as they made their way toward the land of Canaan.
Balaam was the kind of man who goes with what works for him; the kind for whom morality and common sense take second place where there is a possibility of financial gain.
Small things like loyalty counted for little with Balaam – he was a prophet who esteemed profit above all other considerations.
So, he saddled his donkey and set off to meet the Israelites. The Lord sent an angel, furious, big sword in hand, to block Balaam - and at the ready to slay him at once if he proceeded. To be called an ass, or a donkey, is an insult in modern day English; because they are thought to be slow and stupid.
But Balaam’s donkey saw the angel, recognised the danger his master was in, and immediately stopped and turned into a field. Angry that his progress to wealth was being delayed, an angry Balaam began beating up the donkey to bring it back onto the field. Three times the donkey, wisely, turned away, and three times it was whipped.
It was then that the unthinkable happened: the donkey spoke! It demanded to know why it was being whipped; yet it had always been obedient. Finally, Balaam saw the angel, who read the Riot Act to him, and called him to order. A dumb donkey, speaking with a man’s voice, restrained the madness of a prophet!
An animal deemed slow and stupid, saved the life of a man who knew better; but had suppressed his conscience and overridden his higher judgment in order to get rich.
Things happen to otherwise good people when, obsessed with and blinded by the pursuit of wealth and prominence, they persist in doing what is manifestly wrong.
The covetous Balaam could not see the obvious: that he was serving a man who had nothing but bad plans for the nation of Israel.
All Balaam cared about was to make money, become great and enjoy the rewards that come with hobnobbing with the high and mighty.
People who put getting rich above what is good and right, do not end well. You may want to know that Balaam didn’t end well – he was killed in battle, when the people he had been hired to curse, arose and sorted out their enemies.
Next time someone calls you an ass – a donkey that is – don’t be too quick to take it as an insult; for history has evidenced that donkeys, surprisingly, can put up a show of intelligence...especially where they find a Balaam.
Mr Tegulle is an advocate of the High Court of Uganda [email protected]
