God has a soft spot for shepherds. At the very beginning, Adam was given responsibility for the creatures of the earth. His son Abel was a shepherd, as were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jethro, and David. Throughout the history of Old Testament Israel, there is the constant presence of sheep. In Psalm 23, David illustrates the responsibility of the shepherd. In return, the sheep provide food, clothing, and even tents.
In the Gospels, one of the constant images of Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. It is fitting that angels of God were sent to announce the coming of the Messiah to shepherds, who became the first witnesses of this pivotal event in the history of God's people.
Every year, as we celebrate Jesus's coming, the image of God reaching down to the shepherds reminds us that not only is He our Shepherd, but that we are called to take care of His sheep.
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