Why Shepherds?

"Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night 

watch over their flock." Luke 2:8

I've been decorating my home for Christmas and yesterday, I put up my nativity - cradling the statues of Mary and Joseph and the manger with Jesus (sorry Father - yes my manger already has baby Jesus in it - for it is all one piece - and I know, if I put it somewhere safe till Christmas morning - I will either one forget to put it in the nativity or two - and most likely - forget where that safe place was.)  And then there were the shepherds and this had me thinking....have you ever asked yourself - "why in the world would there be shepherds in the Christmas story?"

Let's be honest - shepherds were not the most desirable members of society.  They were dirty and stinky - remember, they spend their life with sheep.  I'm sure they were not as educated as others.  So why would something so pure as Angels and the birth of the Christ Child have these dirty stinky shepherds being the first to hear the good news?

The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 

and they were struck with great fear.  The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, 

I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:9-10

Just imagine - here it is the dead of night and a light suddenly shone so brightly - I bet it would look as if a boom went off - no wonder they were afraid.  I think if an angel lite up my night - I would be afraid too.  Again I ask, "why shepherds?"  Why not appear to a more desirable group of people - they could have still kept it lowly and appeared to blacksmiths, shop keepers, owners of Inns.  I have my suspicions it all has to do with "hope" for the angels tells the shepherd the savior is for them.

For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you 

who is Messiah and Lord.  Luke 2:11

If the Messiah is for the lowly shepherds, then the Messiah is for all people.  It is hope and acceptance.  The Messiah is not there for just the rich and powerful - not if the shepherds are the first to hear to news from the angels.  For it would have been custom that when a child was born - the head of the household would have been told (that is still true today - for the Queen of England it told first of a royal baby's birth before anyone else in the family.)  And yet - the angels first came to shepherds.

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 

"Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, 

which the Lord has made known to us."  Luke 2:15

Now here is where it get's interesting -- we've already established that the shepherds were dirty and stinky -- I did not hear them say "Let's go clean up and then go to Bethlehem."  Did you?  No, they left their sheep (which would have been a big "no no" back then) and headed straight away to Bethlehem.  Jesus does not tell us - go get your life in order - and then come to me.  No - he just says "come, come with your brokenness for I can make you whole."

So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, 

and the infant lying in the manger.  Luke 2:16

I ask you, what new mother would want someone who is dirty and stinky there with their newborn child?  Today, we have to thoroughly wash our hands and use hand sanitizer when we visit the hospital to see a new baby. And still new moms are nerves.  So, think of Mary - did she fear these dirty stinky shepherds surrounding her just born baby son?  The Gospels tells us just the opposite.

All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them 

by the shepherds.  And Mary kept all these thinks, 

reflecting on them in her heart.  Luke 2:18-19

No, Mary realized what was happening and reflected on God's goodness.  Mary and Joseph welcomed the shepherds as a foretelling of how this little infant would welcome the sinner.  Welcoming them as they were, who they were - people of God who were filled with great joy.

This Advent - welcome the stranger in your midst - the lowly, the poor, the dirty and stinky.  For they are just like us - looking for the hope that the Christ Child brings into the world.