On this Christmas Day I am reflecting on why God chose to reveal the identity of His Son to a bunch of shepherds? (See Luke 2:8-10 for the entire account)
As scholars like Leon Morris have pointed out, shepherds were widely perceived as thieves, helping themselves to whatever they needed, whenever they wanted. They were also considered ceremonially unclean because of their profession which kept them away from performing the expected spiritual duties. Only tanners who handled dung and worked with animal skins were lower on the occupational totem pole. Most telling is that the testimony of the shepherds in legal courts was deemed inadmissible or unreliable. In short, while shepherds are viewed favorably and with great sentiment today, at the time of Christ's birth their reputation made them the most unlikely recipients of this divine announcement.
But God did send His angels to shepherds to announce the birth of His Son. He did graciously chose them to testify about the identity of the newborn King. He did allow them to be privy to one of the most important events in the history of this world. Why?
The answer is simply 'grace'. As Paul says in I Corinthians 1:26-29.
"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God."
The truth is that just as the shepherds were unworthy and undeserving of their great privilege, so are you and so am I. We did not deserve God's revelation to us about His Son. But He chose you and me in His grace. This truth on Christmas Day is both humbling and a cause for great rejoicing! Thank you Father for Your Son! And thank you for choosing us to know Him!
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