By Sheila Barnett
Nobody pays much attention to me. But I like it that way. I’m far more comfortable talking to sheep than talking to people. As a shepherd, most of my time is spent with sheep and other shepherds like myself. We are seen as the outcasts of our society: the lowest in the community with the worst jobs. But I’m happy to be a shepherd. There’s freedom in the solitude and a feeling of satisfaction in caring for sheep that recognize my voice and follow me.
I’ve also had some truly extraordinary experiences as a shepherd. I’ve found lost sheep in places no other shepherd thought to look. I’ve saved lambs from the jaws of hyenas and jackals with my slingshot and a few rocks. But nothing compares with what I saw one night in the fields outside of Bethlehem.
The name Bethlehem means “house of bread”. The countryside surrounding this town is mainly fields of grain. After the harvest, we shepherds bring the sheep to graze in the fields. The sheep eat the leftover grain and fertilize the fields for the next growing season.
This particular night started out just like any other night. The sun was casting long shadows across the terrain as I bedded the sheep down under a rock ledge that formed a shallow cave. This place would keep them protected throughout the night. I wasn’t alone, either. Three other shepherds were nearby, tending to their flocks.
I reclined across the opening of the cave. This is where I would spend the night, keeping the sheep safely inside while guarding them from predators outside. I pulled my reed pipe out of my pack and began to softly play a familiar tune to soothe the flock. I could hear the voices of the other shepherds as they relaxed beside a campfire.
The night was clear and I was gazing at the starts when suddenly a brilliant light appeared in the sky! This light was so bright, I could barely look at it. And yet, I could see a form in the light, resembling the figure of a man. I realized that I must be looking at an angel! I was terrified! I had never been so scared in my entire life! Then this angelic being spoke. It said, “Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign unto you: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”
Before I could even begin to think about what that message meant, the whole sky was suddenly filled with a multitude of angels! Incredibly beautiful colors danced across the sky as the angels began to sing praises to God. It’s hard for me to describe the sound they made. Their song was harmonious, joyful, and seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. Their melody surrounded me with a feeling a warmth and peace that I’d never known before. And their words took my breath away! The angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”
I was so captivated by what I was experiencing, I lost all sense of time. At some point, the last angelic being faded away and the stars returned. I looked over at the other shepherds. None of us could speak, at first. Then we all started talking at once. We quickly decided that we should go into Bethlehem and find the baby that the angels described to us. Could this newborn really be the Messiah we’ve been waiting for? From everything that we had just seen and heard, I was optimistic and wanted to see our Savior for myself.
One of the other shepherds and I started walking towards Bethlehem while the others stayed with the sheep. Along the way, we discussed where we should look for the Christ child. The angel had said we would find the baby lying in a manger. Could it be that this holy child was actually born in a stable?
We entered Bethlehem and it wasn’t long before we found an innkeeper who told us about a couple staying in his stable. Excitedly, we knocked softly on the door and entered. At first glance, I saw two adults sitting beside a manager. Then my eyes filled with tears of joy as I saw the baby lying there. The other shepherd and I quietly walked over to where the baby lay sleeping and knelt down. In hushed voices we exchanged stories with the couple. We told them about our angelic experience and found out that they had both been visited by angels, too! The baby’s mother, Mary, told us that His name was Jesus. As we knelt there, we worshipped our Savior, which was even more beautiful and meaningful than my earlier encounter with the angels! We left shortly thereafter, praising God and telling everyone what we had seen and heard.
That night was 33 years ago. Throughout all those years, I followed the life of Jesus as best I could. I heard many reports about Him. I found out that He became a Rabbi and large crowds would gather to hear Him teach. He also performed many miracles; healing the lame, giving sight to the blind, even bringing the dead back to life! I heard He even called Himself “The Good Shepherd” and said He would lay down his life for His sheep!
Some people didn’t like what Jesus was saying, and one day the crucified Him on a Roman cross. But three days later, He was alive again! He had been resurrected from the dead! After that, some eyewitnesses said He ascended into heaven.
I’m not an educated man, but I understand what Jesus did. He died for our sins and rose again so that anyone who believes in Him will have eternal life with Him. I believe in Him. Although I can’t tell you why the angels brought good tiding of great joy to four lowly shepherds, I can tell you that the night Jesus was born was the greatest night of my life!
(Reference: Luke 2:8-20)