First Announcement- Shepherds!

Luke 2:8-18, 20
"That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior--yes, the Messiah, the Lord--has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others--the armies of heaven--praising God and saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." 
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."  They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, ... The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them."

Sweet Lord,

      It seems nothing the Trinity plans makes sense to us lowly humans in our fleshly sinful state. 
In our thinking, if the long awaited Messiah was born:

• He would not be born in a cave with animals around, but in a nice sterile environment to protect him and his mother.
• The first to be told of His birth would be heads of state and the religious elite, not the lowliest shepherds in a field.  They stunk of sweat, sheep, and dirt and lived with the sheep outside the city for a reason!

      But You, in Your infinite wisdom and humility, chose them because You knew what their reaction would be-OBEDIENCE!  Obedience to go to Bethlehem that night...not the week after.  OBEDIENCE to spread the news of Your birth and what the angels had told them to everyone who would believe it.  OBEDIENCE to praise and glorify You.

      You knew what the reaction would be if You had it told to the heads of state (Herod), and the religious elite- jealousy and intent to eliminate You from the face of the earth because of their arrogance.  1Corinthians 1:27 KJV  "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" 

      This makes me think, Lord...would You have chosen me too that night, or would You have avoided me knowing I would keep the good news to myself in fear that others might think I was nuts?  After all- angles appearing in the sky?  A Messiah in a food troth in a cave outside the city?
It took  me 26 years after I was born to really believe the story I had heard every Christmas of my life.
      Precious Lord, may I be obedient still to tell the good news to those who need to hear!