This week, I was rereading the Christmas story and paid attention to these characters. Other participants of this story have a reason to be in it: Mary and Joseph were Jesus' parents, the owner of the inn had to talk to them, the Magi found their own way to the Child, and the king is a king - a part of any story.
But what about shepherds? They had nothing to do with what happened in Bethlehem before or after Jesus was born. They weren't any different from other Judeans expecting a messiah, they definitely weren't more religious than Pharisees. But it was they who witnessed one of the greatest God's revelations on the night that changed the course of history.
This story is described in Luke chapter 2 and I'm pretty sure you have heard it before. But just picture it: a group of people working their night shift, lazily watching over a flock of sheep. They do it every single night and nothing ever happens. But that evening the heavens were open before them, they didn't just see and hear an angel, but had a chance to look behind the curtain of the spiritual world, witnessing the heavens rejoicing and partaking in God's plan for humanity. I don't think any of us have even experienced God's greatness and closeness in such a way.
I was so used to this part of the story that only now for the first time I wondered: why did God include the shepherds in His plan? Why did He choose them to show his glory?
"And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11)
The purpose of this action is pretty obvious: after the event in Bethlehem God decided to share the news with humanity so that Jesus' birth would no longer be a secret. The question is, why did God choose the shepherds? I found many reasons for that and some of them can teach us a few lessons.
God Sees Us in All Circumstances
It's not hard to imagine that being a shepherd was not the most prestigious job. They couldn't compare to influential officials, dedicated Pharisees, or rich merchants. Shepherds slept outside and took care of animals, their lives weren't very luxurious.
But their circumstances didn't turn God away - He used them on purpose. Firstly, to show that the good news, the joy and peace that the angels proclaimed, weren't meant for just the rich or the talented, but are accessible to anyone. The shepherds didn't have to be special, Jesus was born for them wherever and whoever they were!
Moreover, God used the fact of their dishonor to honor Jesus, to show His glory. Have you ever noticed that God often used the low and the unqualified people to do His will? This meant that they couldn't take pride in their achievements but gave all the glory to God.
"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Cor. 1:26-31)
For me, this example is a reminder that I don't have to deserve God's grace. Jesus was born for me even if I don't have any special talents, wealth, or family. The good news is for everyone, especially those who consider themselves the weakest because in this weakness God can be strong!
God Uses Us to Encourage One Another
"When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." (Luke 2:15-19)
While I was thinking about the shepherds, I remembered Mary. Her part in the Christmas story began about nine months before the shepherds' part. It was she who carried a child for weeks, fighting hormones and additional pounds, at the same time trying to justify herself before judgmental neighbors and maintain the relationship with her fiance. It was she who went on a long difficult journey days before her due date, it was she who was desperately trying to find a place to stay while in early labor, and it was she who welcomed a whole new person into this world!
And when this long adventure was over, did she see how the heavens rejoiced over the newborn king? She did not! An angel didn't come to congratulate her on giving birth to the Savior of the world, he didn't proclaim peace and goodwill over her baby, and the choir of angels didn't joyfully sing over her humble dwelling. All of this was given to a group of shepherds who had no idea about what it meant!
And yet, God did put all the pieces together. The shepherds, amazed, rushed to the manger, and their stories let Mary be a part of their revelation and keep it forever in her heart.
For some reason, this story reminded me of many modern ministers, especially those who serve online. How often do we put in so much time and effort, having no clue about the influence our words and actions make! How often do we cast our bread upon waters praying that it may feed someone.
And how precious it is when such "shepherds" come to the manger and say, "God spoke to me through your post", "your video was the answer to my prayer", or "I needed this sermon"! These words prove that even if we don't see open heavens, it doesn't mean they are not rejoicing!
This is why I want to remind everyone who was ever blessed by someone's ministry: tell them about it. Just like Mary, all who serve, sacrifice, and labor, will ponder your blessings in their hearts and glorify God for His work.
Revelations Need to Change Us
"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them" (Luke 2:20)
This is where the story of the shepherds ends and we don't know what happened in their lives after that. We can't say if they ever became Christian, how long they were praising God, and if their lives changed after that.
But this verse is enough to see the immediate effect. God's revelation to the shepherds changes their attitudes and their mood. God's glory came into their everyday life, and though in the beginning, it brought them fear, later it made them glorify and worship God. Some even say that the shepherds shared the good news with everyone they saw (according to some Bible translations).
And I believe that the same thing should happen to us! When we didn't know Christ, His holiness was going against our nature and His presence could bring fear and discomfort. But after we experienced the love of the Father, after we saw our Savior face to face, His presence fills our hearts with praise.
My desire is for our experiences not to end there! I want the revelation of God's glory (even if it wasn't as global as the shepherds') wasn't just a pleasant memory of a conference/camp/worship night but changed our thinking, inspiring us to worship God and seek His presence. And of course, share our joy with people around us!
Let us be like the shepherds after encountering the revelation of God's glory - not just watching a show with an angelic choir but rushing to the "manger" - the fellowship of the saints and the presence of God, telling everyone who would listen about God's revelations and our experiences, making worship our lifestyle.
Bonus: Our Talents Define Our Callings
I called it a bonus because this is not my idea though I like it a lot. The right way to put it would be to say that our calling can be determined by our talents because we are given talents according to our callings.
What I'm trying to say is there was no one better to find a specific manger than the shepherds since it was literally their job. Maybe God announced Jesus' birth to the shepherd because Pharisees or governing officials would take more than a few hours to find where He lay! Maybe the shepherds' skills and knowledge that seemed useless or insignificant turned out to be key in the story of Christmas.
Let this serve as a reminder to us that our skills and talents are given to us with a purpose and God knows the perfect time and place for all of them.
If you use the same Internet that I do you must have already heard many wonderful revelations about Christmas. And I pray that God would speak to your heart through any of them. The most important thing is that Jesus would be truly born in every heart!
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