Why God chose Shepherds to be His first Messengers?

Christmas is just twenty days away and already the  stores are buzzling with early shoppers, and brightly colored lights have started to twinkle from most house- tops. Even the trees along the streets are displaying the joy of Christmas by turning into festive yellow, orange and red. It was really a delight to see the trees down the street leading to our church flashing bright in crimson all the way.

"Messengers" was the title of the sermon this morning and the messengers whom Pastor Bob chose to speak on were none other than the shepherds to whom the glory of Christmas was revealed on a silent starry night. Of all the people, why  did God choose those shepherds who ranked like outcasts in status, smelled like sheep,  owned no proper dwelling nor had any education.?

Yet, God Almighty chose to send His angel to announce the birth of His Son to them first. Yes, these  poor shepherds who ranked low in their communities  got to hear the first Christmas Carol ever sung on earth.

Why did God choose shepherds?

In the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem, no one would have had the ears to hear the voice of an angel or had the leisure to look up the sky to see the great performance ever staged on sky. If it had been the religious pundits, they might  have probably stood there debating with the Angel over the prophesies in the scriptures and thus missed the joy of hearing the heavenly chorus on that night. If any king had been told, he might have brought costly gifts in his hands to the new born King, but sheepish in his mind, he might have plotted something bad to get rid of the child on that very night.

On the other hand, the shepherds were unhurried enough to listen. They also had the heart to believe what the angel said. They didn't summon  a meeting with fellow shepherds in the neighboring fields to discuss and analyse whether what they were told was true or not. Instead, no sooner the carol singing ended and the angels vanished from their sight, they 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. They wasted no time to ponder or to find a perfect gift for the new born child.  Overjoyed by the message, they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph ,and the baby who was lying in the manger.

Yes, the shepherds may have ranked low in IQ in people's poll, but they had the wisdom to know when to hurry and when to stand still and listen. When the call was given, they acted at once and had the blessing of seeing the Baby before anyone else. Even the wise men from the East with their vast knowledge of astronomy couldn't find their way to the manger before them. Yes, God chose the unhurried, humble and believing shepherd to be the first to see His Baby Boy.

The shepherds could have bowed before the Christ child, shown their delight to Mary and Joseph and left. But they didn't.  "...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. Yes, they became the first messengers to spread the Good News. Yes, those shepherds, however sheep like they smelled, did know how to stay still, when to hurry and also what to share.

Finally, " 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: 19-20. Praise and worship wasn't an event or  cliche word for the shepherds when they returned to their fields. Though empty handed, they went to see the Christ Child, when they returned, they carried away with them a wealth of joy in their hearts and praise in their lips.

During this advent season, why not we take some lessons from these humble shepherds and truly celebrate Christ's birth as they did. Do not mind the smell of their clothing, the manner of their speech or the style of their dwelling. God didn't mind it. So, why do we?***