December 23:
Luke 2: 8-20 “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 of great joy that will
be for all the people. Today in the town
of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ 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, and on earth peace to
men on whom his favor 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.”
When my son was little and didn’t want to do his homework, I
(somewhat) jokingly said, “That’s fine.
Someday, when you are working at the Metrodome, scrubbing toilets, Dad
and I will stop by to see you now and then.” The reference to this undesirable
task was usually enough to get him back on track.
Even though it no longer exists, the Metrodome was a large
professional sports stadium, and reportedly (I am not male, never was in there,
and cannot confirm), in the men’s bathrooms, there were troughs instead of
urinals. In considering the amount of
beer that is typically consumed at a professional sporting event, I don’t think
it’s much of stretch to assume that cleaning these bathrooms was a messy,
unpleasant job. *
During the time of Christ, an equally unpleasant job was
that of a shepherd. According to
historical reports, shepherding ranked up there with. . .nothing. It was the most despicable job, and
therefore, those who were in the occupation were the most despicable people in
society.
As a shepherd, one was basically cut off from society. First, this was due to proximity. Shepherds spent the majority of their time in
fields away from the general populace.
Secondly, they were cut off because people were generally suspicious of
them. Justified or not, shepherds were stereotyped
as dirty, stinky, shifty thieves, so they were, as a byproduct, distrusted and
shunned. In short, no one wanted to be
around them. Period.
So why did God choose the outcasts of society to be the
recipients of the big birth announcement?
God specializes in
blowing our minds by doing the exact opposite of the predictable or expected. In fact, (speaking generally, of course), the
way things roll in Heaven is often the inverse of the way things roll on Earth.
Worldly expectations and routine are rooted in sin and self while neither of
those exists in Heaven. Thus, when God
chose the shepherds, He chose the least important in society to be the
purveyors of the most important news. In
essence, He was elevating the most lowly to a position of power and authority.
In addition, God sends a pretty clear message about His
accessibility as a ruler. He is God for all, not just certain classes
or castes. All of His people are
important to Him; no one is better than another.
Likewise, by choosing
the shepherds, He begins the first, of many, practical, real world lessons in
which He shows us the importance and value of putting others first. Humility is a common theme with God, and here
we see Him underscoring it as He takes His first mortal breaths on Earth. Even
though He is King, the “servants” are given a special place at Court.
Shepherds are also an apt choice because of their relative simplicity. As shepherds, they didn’t get a lot of company, and no one ever paid any attention to them. Their lives were simple, and it’s probably safe to assume that their thinking was too. It is this child-like simplicity that God admires. Mark 10:15 “15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Belief is simple; over-thinking is what causes us to hesitate.
Like children, the shepherds no doubt reacted with wonder and
believed without question. Imagine
their astonishment not only at the angel’s words but also in regard to the
crazy star party. “Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’” (Luke
2:13-14).
Like children who cannot keep a secret, there was no way that
these shepherds could keep something so amazing to themselves. “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.’ (Luke 2: 15).
For the first time in their lives, something epic had
happened to them; these shepherds had been charged to deliver an important
message. For once, instead of being the
butt of every social joke, the shepherds were the power-brokers, dispatched by the
Almighty God.
When I first started teaching, the best piece of advice I
ever received is something I still practice to this day. I was told to always “make friends”
(translation: always respect) with the janitors and secretaries because they
are the real backbone of a school, and it’s true. Many teachers make the
mistake of “copping an attitude” because they are teachers – as if they are
somehow better, smarter, and/or more important.
That kind of attitude can earn a person many enemies and few friends. (Plus, it’s just a stupid attitude. ALL school employees work together to educate
a child.)
As this example shows, respect is given when respect is shown. Likewise, one of the best-kept secrets in
effective leadership is to gain (ethically) the support of the disenfranchised,
apathetic, and/or powerless. This is done when a leader genuinely offers, relinquishes, and supports opportunities for
power and involvement to and with others, especially those who feel unnecessary
or forgotten.
One of the most basic desires of all humans is
belonging. We want to know that our
voice matters – that we matter. Knowing us as intimately as He does, God
recognized this need/desire in the shepherds and satisfied it by giving them
the opportunity to deliver the big news.
“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”
(Luke 2: 17-18).
As an added bonus
(which God already knew would happen), the shepherds became loyal and true
believers. “The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which
were just as they had been told” (Luke 2:20).
As laughable as it sounds, I can almost envision God,
rubbing His hands together like John “Hannibal” Smith of the 80s TV show, The A-team, as He says, “I love it when
a plan comes together.” There are no
accidents, coincidences, or random occurrences when it comes to God, the
Creator of the Universe.
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 “’But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Challenge: Do the task no one else wants to do. There is always one. A servant’s heart is invaluable. Not only does it teach humility; it also shows others a better way to live.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
*Disclaimer: I am not dissing anybody who cleans toilets for
a living. When I worked at the Dairy
Queen right after I graduated from college, I scrubbed more than my fair share
of toilets and cleaned both men’s and women’s bathrooms. It’s hard work, and
someone has to do it.
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