“But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” — Luke 2:10-12
When we receive good news, we want to shout it from the rooftops. Of course, that is not always an option; sometimes, we simply have to settle for sharing the news with those around us. In those cases, we often have to decide who we are going to tell first. Will it be those we are closest to; those who would no doubt share our joy? Or would we announce our good news to the first stranger we run across? Usually, we tell those who are most important to us.
Yet, when God wants to announce the birth of His son to the world, who does He approach? Does He begin with Kings, Queens, and the wealthy, trusting them to pass on His message? No. Instead, God does something remarkable. He shares the good news with those who worked in one of the lowest professions possible: shepherds.
These men held no influence, possessed no special characteristics. But they were the ones God chose to hear the news first. But they had genuine spirits that had the ability to see how special God’s announcement truly was. They did not get lost in trying to decide how to turn the situation to their advantage. Instead, they simply accepted the gift of His good news and gladly spread the word.