“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.”
(Luke 2:15-20, NRSVUE)
“In The Everlasting Man, G. K. Chesterton says that anyone ‘whose childhood has known a real Christmas has ever afterwards an association in his mind between two ideas that most of mankind must regard as remote from each other; the idea of a baby and the idea of unknown strength that sustains the stars. His instincts and his imagination can still connect them.”[1]
I take great comfort in the verses above in that God cares about common, working-class people who—like shepherds—work hard every day as leaders, guides, protectors, providers, nurturers, rescuers, and companions. Also, like shepherds, some of us do daily work that “is demanding, solitary, and sometimes dangerous.”[2] J.C. Ryle pointed out 175 years ago, if we think about the simple, unsung people God talked to in sacred history, we see many in humble professions: “Moses was keeping sheep, Gideon was threshing wheat, Elisha was ploughing… [All of these] were… honored with direct calls and revelations from God.”[3] In our passage above, it’s the shepherds who have the mighty privilege of being the first of all humankind, after Mary and Joseph, to see the newborn Messiah—the babe born among the beasts.
As a carpenter, I feel a certain comradery with all shepherd types, similar to the way I do with farmers. All three professions help us live off the land and sustain our basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. All three work hard and spend a lot of time outside and in dirt. Again, I can relate. I too have a strong work ethic and have spent lots of time in dirt… and filth. Although not proudly displayed on my resume, I’ve had more than my share of mice and bird poop, nesting material and feathers fall on my face when replacing wood soffits on old Victorian houses. A dust mask can only keep you from so much! Indeed, carpentry is a humble, earthy trade that has kept me grounded. Or to say it differently in a way that relates to our passage: shepherds being invited to worship God at a feeding troth is something I can understand.
Luke’s classic retelling of the first Christmas captures the mystery and paradox of the gospel yet makes it so accessible. It captures its mystery and paradox in that we learn of shepherds who run for safety to the Lamb of God; of seasoned and capable sheepherders who learn helplessness as they bow before “the Great Shepherd of the Sheep” (Hebrews 13:20); of those who are no stranger to nurture being overwhelmed by the provision, care, and compassion of the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11). Dr. Luke’s retelling also makes the gospel accessible in that it reminds us you don’t have to have a certain position or net worth for God to speak to you. You don’t need to be a social influencer to “make haste” and follow God. And you don’t need to be Time magazine’s Person of the Year to receive God’s favor.
No, Luke’s message is for “all the people” and it’s one of amazing grace. It’s the simple story of Jesus that helps us connect a very special baby with the stars. What’s more, it’s a story that’s part of a larger narrative that not only connects that baby with the stars, but also identifies him as the “unknown strength that sustains the stars.”
Merry Christmas, dear friends, and may you like Mary treasure these words and ponder them in your heart.
[1] Brian Zahnd, The Anticipated Christ: A Journey Through Advent and Christmas (Spello Press, 2022), 118.
[2] Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1998), 782.
[3] J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Volume II: Luke (Grand Rapids: Baker reprinted 2017), 56.