BLESSED ARE THE SHEPHERDS, FOR THEY SHALL SEE ANGELS
"The
First Noel the angel did say
Was
to certain poor shepherds
in
fields as they lay;
In
fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
On
a cold winter's night that was so deep."
A lowly band of
shepherds played a central role in St. Luke's account of the first Christmas.
There were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by
night.
And, lo, the angel of
the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and
they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people.
For unto you is born
this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign
unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger.
And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as
the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to
another, let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to
pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with
haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
It was no accident or
coincidence that humble shepherds were the first to learn of Christ's birth. It
was not by chance that they "came with haste" to find the babe who
would grow up to become "the Good Shepherd."
It is in the nature of
shepherds to love their sheep and to exhibit Christlike character as they
minister to their flocks:
- Shepherds
succor the young, the ill, the aged, the hungry, the homeless, the
handicapped.
- Shepherds
watch over the defenseless and the infirm through dark nights and dreary
days.
- Shepherds
safeguard the lambs within the fold, then go in search of those who have
wandered away from safety.
In today's world, very
few people actually raise sheep, and fewer still tend them with a shepherd's
care. But there are many who exhibit the biblical shepherds' character as they
selflessly serve others. We know these modern-day "shepherds" by many
names, including nurse, teacher, social worker, daycare attendant, mother,
father, grandparent, friend, nursing home aide, minister, police officer,
hospice worker, scout leader, homeless shelter attendant, EMT, godparent,
doctor, and mental health counselor, to name a few.
I believe these
caregivers who tend their "lambs" with love and tenderness will find
peace on earth and good will, as promised by the heavenly host. I believe that
in their labors these "shepherds" will be surrounded by angels - some
of the heavenly variety and others in the form of the angelic young, ill, aged,
hungry, homeless, and handicapped they care for.
I believe these
present-day shepherds, like their ancient counterparts, will be led by their
caring hearts and their kind, unheralded service to find the Christ Child, the
Savior of the world. Did He not teach his disciples, "Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me"? Matthew
24: 40
During this celebratory
season of the year, while the rest of us are "nestled all snug in [our]
beds," let us not forget these modern-day shepherds, the caregivers and
protectors who keep watch over their little flocks by night or day, who
maintain their faithful vigil caring for the tender lambs and the vulnerable
sheep.
Thanks, you shepherds of
today, for demonstrating Christlike love in your daily service. May His grace
and blessings be upon you this Christmas season and always.
Merry Christmas from the
Farnsworth Family and all of us at SunBridge and Personal Asset Advisors.
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