While Shepherds Watched

The story of the shepherds at Jesus' birth speaks to us about his identity and how to relate to him. Shepherds had a low social standing - human distinctions are not relevant to God. They were people who could understand something of what God was doing - their job was to care, and so they could understand when God is described as 'The Shepherd of Israel'. Husbands, wives, parents, children all relate in ways that give insight into how God relates to us. Political and religious leaders were also called 'shepherds', but at that time the nations' shepherds had failed them - the Good Shepherd was coming. The message came from heaven, as evidenced by the effect God's glory had and the fact that the message corresponded to scripture. It was a message of 'great joy', not a demand but a gift. Joyless Christianity is a contradiction in terms. It showed God's goodwill in spite of our sin and rebellion. It is joy in a saviour, and it is for 'all people' - the gospel is for all. The shepherds responded by going immediately to see what had happened. Too many people hear the message but do not respond to it. They believed it was God's message. When they had seen the baby they went home. They still had duties to perform but now these were done to the glory of God. And when they told people what had happened they did not only tell what they had seen - Luke refers to 'the saying that had been told them. Responding inn faith to the gospel message, living in gratitude to God, and telling what he has said - is that not a summary of Christian living?