Shepherds.

When I think of shepherds I imagine shepherds just like the ones that I read about in the Bible.

I can imagine other things like nice dogs, shepherd's pie but when I close my eyes, I see those men in front of me with their rod and their packed lunch.
What do you think of when you hear the word shepherd?

Shepherds were watching over their flocks, day and night. Same kind of routine, leading their sheep, keeping them safe,
watching over them, continuing to count. Run after a sheep that has got lost.

I read somewere that Shepherds were not treated with all the dignity and
respect many other professions had. In fact, it was above the lowest common denominator in the
ancient world. Some said about shepherds, "you hope your daughter wouldn't marry one".

If something got missing, people used to say: Check with the shepherds they might "have" it.

To be a shepherd was, lonely, cold at night, not well paid and dirty.

One cold and lonely night in the midst of perhaps sleeping, counting sheep , feeling lonely and depressed , suddenly comes this explosive light, and it's an angel. The angel of the Lord appeared, and the Judean skies lit up.

Out of nowhere this angel makes an entrance. Apparently it took something pretty grand to get their attention.


What does it take to get our attention? Is it just the events of this Christmas? Going to church? Reading the Bible, listening to great worship music?

Or what is it?