Faith of a Shepherd

Everyone rejoices when they witness a new baby coming into this world through the miracle of birth. Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph and was expecting a child. Coming from an outsider's perspective, it probably didn't look good that Mary was already pregnant before they even gotten married. Just imagine what people were thinking and how Mary and Joseph could have been treated. Even with all the challenges they possibly faced, Joseph remained faithful and did everything to please God. 

At the time of Jesus' birth, Joseph and Mary had nowhere to go, nor did they have a place to stay. When Mary gave birth to Jesus, he was wrapped in cloth and placed in a manger. An angel of the Lord appeared to a group of shepherds and brought them the good news. The shepherds were frightened at first, but they did not let fear inhibit their travel to Bethlehem. The shepherds wanted to see what the angel told them. God sent the shepherds to Mary and Joseph, because He knew the young couple needed some encouragement. Most importantly, they found Jesus. According to verse 20, the “shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

There were times in my life that Jesus was presented to me, and I simply did not see it. I ask myself how I would have reacted if the angel of the Lord appeared in front of me. Would I have the same reaction like the shepherds, or would I keep on giving excuses to not go? There was no hesitation on their part. The shepherds made a faithful decision and witnessed the good news that the angel had shared with them. Faith takes us places. And for the shepherds, their faith brought them to Jesus. Let’s all have the faith of a shepherd!