Shepherds and Wise Men

I remember even at an early age feeling like an outcast.  Like someone who didn't quite belong.  In elementary school all my friends were extremely smart.  Like, all A's smart.  Honor roll every semester smart.  Me, I was the average one.  You know, the less-smart friend.  No honor roll here.  All A's only in my dreams.  So, even among my friends I was an outcast.  This feeling persisted through junior high  and high school.  By college I was comfortable with the idea and with myself.  It is still this big, huge, heavy weight for me.  I recently joined a christian, mother's group and have had to struggle with persisting through my feelings until I became more comfortable.  Still working on that, by the way.

     I guess that's why this sudden realization was so comforting for me.  I was reading my devotional when it occurred to me.  It's no surprise that the devotional was about the Christmas Story and the fear that was upon the shepherds when they were visited by the angel.  The sudden thought that how odd it was that God chose shepherds to receive the news of heaven's newest addition.  I thought, shepherds?  Really?  And "wise men?"  Why?  Have you ever wondered why God chose those two groups?  They have absolutely nothing in common.

     The first thing that I understood was that care had to be taken.  If Herod had learned of the birth of the Christ child he would have killed him.  He even tried to do just that.  So, your common, ordinary everyday person couldn't be told.  They would shout it from the rooftops, load up their donkeys and desert the cities to find him.  And that would alert Herod.

     But the Son of God couldn't enter the world with no one to herald him, right?!  Heck, he's the Living God!!!  Somebody has to celebrate!  So, shepherds were chosen.  Yep.  Spending 24 hours a day every day with sheep.  These were simple people.  Salt of the Earth, as it were.  Not religious.  Not educated. Working class.  They were chosen as the first people to EVER worship the Son.  Loners.  Second sons.   Outcasts.  But they weren't the only ones.

     Wise men were also chosen.  Men "from the east."    They had no other business in Bethlehem.  They came, paid homage, and left.  Outcasts.  Foreigners.  Strangers in a strange land.  The gifts, consequently, helped the family flee to Egypt.  But what's the point?

     God chooses outcasts and loners.  He does it all the time.  If you think God can't use you because you don't "fit in" you're wrong.  He can.  He chose the shepherds.  He chose the wise men.  He chose the woman at the well.  He chose Mary Magdalene.  He chooses the loner and the outcast.  He does it ALL THE TIME.  He chose me.  He can choose you as well, but you have to answer the call.  You have to let someone in sometime.  Might as well be Him.  There's no better one to trust.

     There's no better place to lay your heart than at His feet.


Becky Thomas