Renewing Your Mind – "The Donkey Who Carried a King"

Podcast: Renewing Your Mind by Ligonier Ministries
Host: Nathan W. Bingham
Guest Readers/Contributors: R.C. Sproul, Chris Larson
Original Date: April 3, 2026

Episode Overview

This special Good Friday episode centers on R.C. Sproul reading his beloved children’s book, The Donkey Who Carried a King. Through the story of a humble donkey named Davy, and a relatable boy named Riley, Sproul explores themes of service, humility, the true meaning of greatness, and the significance of Jesus as both King and servant. The episode also features an insightful discussion between R.C. Sproul and Ligonier president Chris Larson about the book's message, its significance for families, and key truths for Christians of all ages.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Story: "The Donkey Who Carried a King"

[01:32—17:54]

Setting the Scene:
The story interweaves the lives of Riley, a boy upset at being picked last in games, and Davy, a young donkey longing for an important purpose.
Riley’s Struggle:
Riley feels hurt and overlooked, prompting his grandfather to share the story of Davy the donkey to give perspective and comfort.
Davy’s Longing and Donkey Legends:
Davy feels insignificant—a theme echoed in stories told among the donkeys, including:
- The speaking donkey of Balaam (Numbers 22)
- Old Barnabas, who carried Mary and baby Jesus
Davy’s Calling:
Davy is finally chosen—“because the Lord has need of him”—to carry Jesus into Jerusalem during the first Palm Sunday.
Highlight – The Triumphal Entry:

“As they went down the road, a multitude of people came around and put their coats and palm branches on the ground in front of Davey and Jesus. They began to sing, shout and wave palms in the air, saying, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.’” (Narrator/R.C. Sproul, 00:10, 09:31)
Davy’s Pride and Disillusionment:
After fulfilling this honorable task, Davy struggles, believing he is too special for ordinary work. But wise old Barnabas reminds him:

“We are donkeys... Every job is important, even carrying sacks of olives. And you should do your best to do it well.” (Barnabas, 11:17)
Witnessing the Crucifixion:
Davy later sees Jesus burdened and bruised, carrying His cross, and recognizes the King is also a suffering servant—a paradigm shift for both Davy and Riley.
Resolution and Lesson:
Through his grandpa’s wisdom, Riley learns gratitude and humility:

“Remember that God the Father chose Jesus for the worst job of all, but he did it willingly to please his Father and to save his people.” (Grandpa, 16:32)

“I want to serve him and do whatever he asks me to do, whether it’s a little job or something very important.” (Riley, 17:47)

Theological Reflection and Application

[18:41—24:25]

Chris Larson interviews R.C. Sproul about the story’s message:

Jesus: The King Above All Kings, who Served

“Yes, it [the Bible] says he’s the king of all the kings. And every other earthly magistrate, in the final analysis, will be accountable and answerable to King Jesus.” (Sproul, 18:52)

“In his earthly ministry, that King was a servant, a suffering servant who subjected himself to the whole law of God in a way that most monarchs never ever try to do.” (Sproul, 19:21)
On Authority and Obedience

“God doesn’t rule by referendum. He rules by sovereign authority... In that authority, he has elevated his Son.” (Sproul, 19:36)
Servant Leadership

“But Jesus is first the obedient servant before he is crowned as the King of the kings.” (Sproul, 20:24)
On Contentment

“I think the lack of contentment is one of the great sins of people and even in the Christian world…Paul says, ‘I have learned that whatever state I’m in therewith to be content.’” (Sproul, 21:01)
Family’s Role in Nurturing Faith

“I think that the family is the number one place where we are called to be nurturing our children in the truth and admonition of the Lord.” (Sproul, 22:38)
Every Role is Meaningful

“In the kingdom of God, there’s no such thing as a menial task. … Sometimes we’re not all that thrilled with the tasks that God has given us.” (Sproul, 23:11)

“You have to be faithful in little things before you can ever hope to be faithful in the big things. And so this is one of those cases where we can learn from a donkey.” (Sproul, 24:09)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Jesus’ Unique Kingship:

“He was a king, but he was a servant to his people.” (Grandpa, 16:49)
The Heart of Service:

“If you are given a job that doesn’t seem to be so much fun, do your best at your job anyway.” (Grandpa, 16:06)
On Christ’s Sacrifice:

“When he died, he gave his life to save his people from their sins. In a way, he carried their sin and their guilt by dying for them.” (Grandpa, 16:55)
Gratitude in All Roles:

“Do your best to be content with whatever you’re asked to do. Because every player and every role is important.” (Grandpa, 16:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:10 – The original Palm Sunday narrative and introduction to the story
01:32–17:54 – Full reading of The Donkey Who Carried a King
11:17 – Barnabas teaches Davy about servanthood
16:32–17:47 – Grandpa’s gospel-centered application to Riley
18:41–24:25 – R.C. Sproul and Chris Larson on Jesus' kingship, servanthood, and lessons for families and children

Summary & Takeaway

This episode is a profound yet accessible meditation on Good Friday’s themes through the eyes of a humble donkey and a little boy. R.C. Sproul emphasizes:

The paradoxical greatness of Jesus as King and servant
The dignity and importance of every act of service, big or small
Contentment and gratitude in all circumstances
The central role of families in transmitting gospel truths

In Sproul’s own words:

“You have to be faithful in little things before you can ever hope to be faithful in the big things. And so this is one of those cases where we can learn from a donkey.” (24:09)

Listeners of all ages are encouraged to find joy and purpose in serving, wherever God places them, looking to Christ as the supreme example of humble greatness.

Transcript

Nathan W. Bingham (0:00)

A special Good Friday edition of Renewing youg Mind Today as RC Sproul reads his children's book, the Donkey who Carried a King. Here's a preview.

Narrator/Reader (possibly R.C. Sproul reading the story) (0:10)

As they went down the road, a multitude of people came around and put their coats and palm branches on the ground in front of Davey and Jesus. They began to sing, shout, and wave palms in the air, saying Hosanna and blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.

Nathan W. Bingham (0:38)

If you're a regular listener, you know of RC Sproul's ability to clearly and winsomely communicate the deep truths of the Gospel. He was also very concerned about the next generation, which is why he dedicated time to to write children's books to help pass on the Christian faith to that next generation. Hi, I'm Nathan W. Bingham, and thank you for joining us today for Renewing youg Mind to help you reflect on the glorious work of Christ. Today you'll hear Dr. Sproul read one of his children's books, the Donkey who Carried a King. It's a beloved title for many, so I encourage you to gather your family and friends around and listen as he reads. And you can also request your own copy when you give a donation@renewingyourmind.org I'll tell you more about that after the story. Here's Dr. Sproul

Narrator/Reader (possibly R.C. Sproul reading the story) (1:32)

the donkey who Carried a King One day, a little boy named Riley came home from playing with some other boys in his neighborhood. He was crying as he came into the kitchen to find his mother. She saw him and asked Riley, what's wrong? Riley's lip trembled and he tried to wipe away his tears. He was 8 years old and he didn't like the cry, but he couldn't help it. He said, mommy, every time we play games, the other boys pick me last. It hurts so much. Just then, Raleigh's father and grandfather walked in. Raleigh's mother told them, raleigh has had a hard day. The other boys have been picking him last for their games. Raleigh's father put his arm around his son. I understand that, he said. Sometimes I was the last one picked for games when I was your age. Raleigh was surprised. Really? He asked. His father nodded. Yes, he said. I remember how much it hurt when it happened to me. Raleigh looked down. I think they picked me last because I'm not very good at the games we play, he said. His father said, since your grandfather is here, maybe he can help you with this. What do you think, Grandpa? What should Raleigh do? Grandpa thought for a second, then said, Raleigh, have you ever heard about the donkey who carried a king? The corners of Raleigh's mouth tipped up in a smile because he knew he was about to hear another of Grandpa's wonderful stories. No, Grandpa, he said, I've never heard that story, but I'd love to hear it now. So Grandpa sat down and Riley sat on his knee. Riley didn't feel too old for that. You know, Riley, Grandpa started. Several years ago I went to Jerusalem and I saw a funny sight. Lots of people rode on little donkeys. The donkeys in Jerusalem were small compared to the ones here in America. They only grow to be about three or three and a half feet high. The sight of a grown man riding on one of these donkeys made me giggle. The man had to keep his knees bent way up to keep his feet from dragging on the ground. And the little donkey the man was riding just kept going right down the street, bearing the man on his back. I want to tell you about a donkey just like that little donkey I saw in Jerusalem. The donkey in my story had never been picked for anything. He wondered whether he would ever be chosen to do a job. But one day he was picked for a very special task. Many years ago there was a little donkey named Davy. He lived in a village close to the holy city of Jerusalem. He was too young to work, so he was kept in his pen. He had brothers and sisters, but none of them could play with him because they had jobs to do. Sometimes they carried sacks of olives for their master. Sometimes they worked for people in the community, and some of them even carried grown adults on their back. Davy didn't have to carry anyone or anything. All he did every day was stand and wait, eat and sleep. It was boring, and Davy was often unhappy because it seemed no one wanted him to do anything. The other donkeys who were kept in Davey's pen told stories about the famous donkeys of history. One had belonged to a man named Balaam. A wicked king asked Balaam to give a prophecy against God's people. As Balaam was riding the donkey to the place where the people of God were camped, an angel blocked the path. The donkey stopped, but Balaam couldn't see the angel, so he got very angry and hit the donkey. Then the Lord God gave the donkey the power to speak. The donkey asked, what have I done to you that you've hit me? Balaam said, you are not treating me right. Then God let Balaam see the angel. The angel said, what you are planning to do is wrong. When Balaam heard that he decided not to prophesy against the people of God. The donkeys also told a story about old Barnabas, one of the older donkeys who lived with them. Years before, Barnabas had lived in the town of Nazareth. His owner was Joseph, a carpenter. Joseph and his wife Mary, who was about to have a baby, had to go to his hometown of Bethlehem. Mary rode on Barnabas. Back. When they arrived in Bethlehem, it was time for Mary's baby to be born. All the inns were full, so they spent the night in a stable where animals were kept. There, Mary had her baby. His name was Jesus. Shepherds came to the stable and worshiped the baby Jesus. They knew he was the Messiah who had come to save his people. Afterward, Barnabas carried Mary and the baby Jesus back to Nazareth. Davey liked to hear about the famous donkeys and the important things they had done. He wanted to do a big job too, but his master never picked him to do anything. But one day all that changed. It happened one morning when Davey was feeling especially down because he had nothing to do and could only eat and sleep. Davy saw two strangers coming. They spoke quietly to his owner. Davy tried to hear their conversation. He couldn't make out all of their words, but he did hear one of the men say, because the Lord has need of him. Davey wondered what they were talking about. Davey's owner came to the pen and opened the gate. He brought Davy out and led him to the two men. Take this donkey, he said. His name is Davy. No one has ever ridden him before, but I think he will be able to do the job. Davey wondered, what are they going to have me do? Whatever it is, it seems important to these men. They led Davy down the road. Soon he saw a crowd. The two men spoke to the person who seemed to be in charge and called him by his name, Jesus. Some of the people in the group put their coats on Davey's back. Then, to Davey's astonishment, Jesus got on his back. It felt strange to have someone sitting on his back, but Davey was excited too. He started to walk toward Jerusalem, carrying Jesus. As they went down the road, a multitude of people came around and put their coats and palm branches on the ground in front of Davey and Jesus. They began to sing, shout and wave palms in the air, saying, hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Even the King of Israel. Davy was amazed by what he was hearing. He thought, a king is riding on my back. I can't believe that I have been chosen to carry a king. Davy made up his mind to carry the king to the best of his ability. He stepped carefully along the path of coats and palm branches, and he tried hard to carry Jesus smoothly. After Davey and Jesus came into Jerusalem, Jesus got down and patted Davy's back. Davy watched as he entered the temple. Davy felt very proud of himself. I carried the king, he thought. I must be a very special donkey. The next day, Davy's master decided he was ready for regular work. One of the servants put two sacks of olives on Davy's back and set out to deliver them. The sacks were heavy and they scratched Davey's back once or twice. He got so tired and miserable that he sat down in the road. But the master's servant tugged on the rope attached to Davy's holder and pulled him along. By the time Davey got home, he was very grumpy. Why did the master make me carry those olives? He grumbled to old Barnabas. I carried the king. I shouldn't have to carry ordinary things.