On the night Jesus was born, the shepherds near Bethlehem were doing what they always did—watching over their flocks under the stars. It was an ordinary night, and they were ordinary men. Not scholars. Not priests. Just blue-collar workers of their day, often overlooked by society and even looked down upon for their lowly status. But on that quiet night outside Bethlehem, heaven opened up for them.
Luke 2:8 tells us, “And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.” These men weren’t attending a temple service or studying the Scriptures. They were doing their job, staying awake, staying faithful. And that’s when the angel appeared.
Why shepherds? Because God delights in lifting the humble. He could have sent angels to Herod’s palace or the temple’s high court. But He chose the field. The forgotten. The ones who were used to silence and darkness. In doing so, God made a loud statement: *My message is for everyone. Especially those who think they’re not worthy to hear it.*
The shepherds weren’t just invited to see the baby—they were the first to spread the news. The first evangelists of the gospel were not trained theologians, but smelly shepherds.
And here’s the wonder: as God chose the shepherds, God chooses us. He still speaks in the ordinary. He still calls the humble. He still finds us in the field and says, “Come and see.”
I’m Lonnie Davis and these are thoughts worth thinking.