Unto You

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them: Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord...." - Luke 2:8-11

We read and hear the Christmas story detailing the birth of Christ every year.  It's a big event in the life of a Christian and often times I am so in awe of the hugeness of it that I overlook some of the important little things.

Like "unto you."

These were the words spoken to the shepherds.  Even 2000 years ago there were socioeconomic classes and to say shepherds were considered at the bottom would be a pretty fair statement.  They spent their time in the fields and when they did venture into town they were not very fragrant and often were rebel  rousers.  So for God to send an angel to them to share the news of Christ's birth is amazing.  He didn't send the angel to visit a priest, or a prophet..... instead He announced the birth of His Son to what were considered "lowly" shepherds.

I love that the angel of the Lord said, "Fear not."  If you were a shepherd doing your job day in and day out in the fields, with little to no human contact but each other, wouldn't you be a little overwhelmed at suddenly having a visit by an angel of the Lord one night?  

I have to wonder what the shepherds were thinking.  Did they look at each other for just a second and doubt what they had seen and heard?  Did they just for a moment think, "We have been out here way too long!"  They had to have wondered, "Why us?"

Nothing about the birth of Jesus is what you would associate with the birth of a King.   

Mary and Joseph were likely shunned because of Mary's pregnancy.  

Jesus was born in a "barn."  

He was surrounded by livestock.  

And the people God chose to share this great news with the world were some of the lowliest on the socioeconomic scale.

God could have done much better for His Son.  But He chose not to.  


By having the birth of Jesus happen as it did,  it is a constant solemn reminder that He was not a King for the kings, but instead was born for the lowliest of us all.... for me and you.  

As you celebrate Christmas I pray you will always remember that the greatest gift you could ever receive arrived more than 2000 years ago, in the form of a baby.  

That is something to truly rejoice about.   

"....For unto YOU ...."