Be not as a Horse or a Mule

Psalm 32:9 “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near to you.”

The horse impulsively rushes ahead, the mule stubbornly refuses to move at all. The rider has to control them with bit and bridle otherwise the horse will charge ahead and the mule will lag behind. Sometimes we can be like the horse. We ‘get the bit between our teeth’ and forge ahead with our plans, against all contrary advice and common sense, we rush headlong into trouble. Sometimes we are like the mule. We won’t budge. We stubbornly refuse to move forward with a God idea, that with a little faith and courage will succeed. 

Peter, prior to Pentecost, was a bit horse like. He was rash, impulsive, quick to speak and get ahead of himself. He often opened his mouth before his mind was in gear. Jesus even had to rebuke him for this on occasion. (Matt. 16:23 – Matt. 26:3-35)

Thomas, on the other hand, was like the mule. After the resurrection when the disciples told Thomas they had met Jesus. He stubbornly refused to believe them, unless and until, he could see Him with his own eyes. (John 20:25) 

Jonah, the reluctant missionary, was as stubborn as a mule. He did everything in his power to avoid obeying the voice of God to go preach to the people of Nineveh. On the other hand, King David, in 1 Chronicles Ch.21, against all sound advice from Joab, the commander of his army, and his counsellors, rashly and impulsively rushed ahead to count the people of Israel, to see how many men would be fit to swell the ranks of his army. God rebuked him, and it cost the nation dearly. Be not as the horse or the mule. 

Sometimes though, we need to get a move on, and other times we need to slow up. It’s all about getting the right balance. Not all stubbornness is bad. We should be stubborn about the right things. Winston Churchill was a stubborn man, and a good job he was too. His tenacity helped Britain to win the war. His stubbornness was once described as, ‘an iron spike driven into frozen ground.’  Some of the great inventors kept moving ahead with their ideas when others thought they were crazy. They just refused to turn back. They had put too much energy and resources into it to give up. 

If you can harness that drive and energy in you to do His bidding, then it will accomplish something good for His Kingdom. If you can harness that desire you have to not be rash and impulsive, but patient and obedient, then He can use you for His glory. 

Just don’t be like the horse or the mule. 

- Pastor David Goudy