I am attempting something new and different today, writing from the perspective of one of the shepherds at the birth of Jesus.  It is inspired by Luke 2:8-20, and since I volunteered to portray a shepherd in my church’s Hanging of the Greens service as a youth, I feel qualified to attempt this.

Somewhat … 

It was the night my life changed forever.  One of those defining moments you just don’t forget.  I never understood why it happened to me.  But it did.  And my life has never been the same since that day.

I remember it was frigid.  I pulled the sheepskin close to my face, but the wind whipped my cheeks red.  My breaths came quickly, puffing smoke into the stillness of the night.  None of my sheep were moving, but I kept an eye out for predators.  The night before I had to scare away a jackal looking for a midnight snack. 

Suddenly, I was startled.  A blinding light made me shrink back in fear.  It is not every day you get to meet an angel face to face, but there he was.  Gabriel.  He reassured me to not be afraid.  But how could I not be!  He told me to go to Bethlehem to see the Messiah.  A baby wrapped snuggly in cloths, lying in a manger. 

Just then a multitude of angels appeared together.  They shone like supernovas in the sky, and their voices sang out in glorious harmony, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”  Those words seemed to echo through the valley.  They filled my soul with hope.  And just like that, they were gone.

I jolted up to my feet, calling to my shepherd friends.  They had seen it too!  We sprinted over the hill toward Bethlehem, our feet barely touching the ground.  Sure enough, it was just as the angel had told us.  There He was!  The Messiah!  I couldn’t contain my excitement.  We entered the stable cautiously.  The smell of manure and hay wafted in the chilly air. 

The mother looked exhausted but smiled sweetly at the little one, and the father welcomed us in to have our first look.  We peeked over the edge of the manger, finding a newborn child wrapped snuggly in cloths.  His face radiated peace as he slept soundly.  A smile curled on my lips.  I was speechless.  None of us could utter a single word.  All I could do was exhale, my eyes wide as saucers. 

“What are you waiting for?” the mother exhaled.  “Go spread the word!  Tell the town that the Messiah has come.”

We backed out slowly, our hearts giddy with excitement.  The town was bursting with people there for the census.  All I could do was yell over and over, “He is here!  The Messiah is here!”  The magnitude of the moment unprecedented, and we couldn’t stay long to talk.  There were so many to tell, and we had to get back to our flocks. 

We laughed joyously, praising God with shouts that echoed through the hills.  The adrenaline rush carried us home where we found our sheep safe.  Not a single one had strayed or been hurt.  One thing is for sure though—none of us fell asleep on the job that night. 

There are times I wonder why.  Why would God call me, a lowly shepherd, to be the first to see the Christ child?  I will never know the answer to that question, but I do know this … the world was changed on that glorious night, and I got to experience it firsthand.