Luke 2:8-21 NIV “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.”
I remember growing up with the heroic stories of David the shepherd. The youngest of all his brothers, the outcast. Who later becomes king and is called a man after God’s heart. A true “rags to riches story”.
Another shepherd that stood out to me, was Amos. He is one of the minor prophets in the Old Testament. God called Amos, a shepherd from the southern kingdom of Judah, to confront the wrongdoing of the people of Israel, offering them one more chance before facing His judgement.
Francine Rivers wrote a book called “Sons of Encouragement” – Five stories of faithful men who changed eternity. Amos was part of these five men. She paints this beautiful, heart-wrenching picture of the life of a shepherd. His incredible, self-sacrificing love for his sheep. As much as it broke his heart, he would break the lamb’s leg, in order to carry the lamb around so it may know his voice and his smell. This act would protect the lamb to not run off and fall into danger.
In my mind, these stories are so beautiful and almost romantic. Yet, at the time Jesus was born, shepherds were seen as anything but beautiful and romantic. They stood at the bottom of the Palestinian social ladder. They shared the same undesirable status as tax collectors and manure sweepers. Did you know that only Luke mentions them?
Back in the day, during the time of the patriarchs, shepherding was a noble occupation. We think of Isaac and Jacob’s time. It didn’t last very long. During their time in Egypt, most of it was spent tending the flock (we know how that went, and shepherds have by now become “detestable to the Egyptians” – Genesis 46:34 NIV). Dr Joachim Jeremias commented that shepherds were considered second-class and untrustworthy. He stated that they were deprived of all civil rights and could not even stand as a witness in court. He notes that the rabbis ask how, in view of the despicable nature of shepherds, one can explain why God was called “my shepherd” in Psalm 23:1 NIV.
Yet, it is into this social context of religious snobbery and class prejudice, that Jesus was born. It is at this time, that God chooses to announce the Good News to undesirable yet unpretentious shepherds. It was during that time, that Jesus, who came as human but the Son of God, lived among the undesirables, the untouchables and the outcasts.
I believe God chose the shepherds to reveal the ultimate Shepherd to us all. God elevated the shepherd figure again through the life of Jesus. Jesus said in John 10:11 ESV “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” And verses 27-28 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Jesus is also referred to as “the great shepherd” (Hebrews 13:20 ESV) and “the chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4 ESV).
The shepherds are truly the most beautiful and romantic choice ever. God chose shepherds first, to reveal the ultimate Shepherd.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 MSG reminds us of God’s perspective on these things:
“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”
This reminds me, that as an outcast, I get to be counted worthy of the Good News. This should also help us not look at others through religious prejudices, but that we have all fallen short. Ultimately, God counts us worthy through His Son, Jesus our Good Shepherd.
– Yolande Vincent