My home is near the small town of Bethlehem. It is noted for the many sheep that roam across the land in search of greener pastures. The life of a shepherd might be considered by some as one of the lowliest forms of employment, but I tend to disagree. My family has been tending sheep for many years. A shepherd’s life can be lonely and both physically and mentally exhausting. We spend most of our hours with a flock of stubborn animals that need constant attention. Not only are they susceptible to wandering off on their own, but they have many predators who find delight in feasting on them. We have to be on the lookout 24/7. There are lots of empty hours where nothing goes on. So, we tend to gather around the fire and tell stories to keep us awake.

When I was just a young lad, my father and his brothers would often relay a story about a night when angels appeared in the sky. You know how stories tend to take on a life of their own when they’re retold so many times. Still, I would listen intently as the story of the promised Messiah unfolded. For so long, the people waited for His coming. Eventually, many of them gave up and forgot all about Him. I believed the stories. Maybe because my father never lied about such important things. The tales about heavenly beings singing in heaven and a star that lit up the entire sky might seem hard to conceive, but if my dad was there and witnessed it, I believe it’s true.

Those who were tending their sheep followed the brilliant star to the city and found a little newborn boy, snuggled into strips of cloth to keep him warm and safe. His mother looked exhausted while His stepfather looked on with wonder. My dad never heard another thing about that child. I imagine, like all children, He learned to walk and how to communicate. He would enjoy being with others. He worked alongside His stepfather but His heavenly dad was getting Him ready for the work He was sent to accomplish as a man.

Like my own dad prepared me for the life of a shepherd. He showed me how to protect the flock against predatory animals that were on the prowl for a midnight snack. He taught me how to carry an injured lamb on my shoulders, so the flock would all stay together. He showed me how to anoint the animals with oil to protect their eyes against the biting insects. Through his example, I learned to shear the sheep when the fleece was plentiful, and they didn’t need the extra protection. Those pelts would make wool which would be woven into cloth for marketing.

Maybe those years between His birth until He became a man were being spent learning what it’s like to be a human being. He was also God you know. God, the Father sent Him to save humanity because Jesus was sinless. He would become the unblemished lamb that would take away the sin of the world. Maybe I’ll run into Him on my way to Jerusalem.