Consider the shepherds at the first Christmas. Part of the lowest strata of society they were nearly fearless men who killed the occasional bear or lion attacking the flock.

Yet they were very afraid when the angel of the Lord appeared to them. It must have been quite a scene and their fear must have been very apparent since the first words out of the angel's mouth was , "Don't be afraid."

The shepherds were the first to hear the good news that the Christ child had been born. Strange.

When the Wise Men figured out that the child had been born they took several months to prepare to go see him. Carrying valuable gifts to this infant king, they traveled a distance to give him the gifts in person a couple of years later.

The shepherds took no time to prepare. They heard the news and said, "Let's go to Bethlehem to see what the angel has told us about." They left right then, in a hurry to see the child. They owned nothing so had no gift to take. The sheep they took care of were not theirs so they couldn't take a lamb. They had nothing to prepare, everything they owned was on their backs. So they went.

Here's the message. The first people to hear this good news were people who had nothing of value to give to a king. Nothing. Sometimes followers of Christ think that because they have money, or status, or family connections, or education they have something to bring to the table and they are therefore somehow more valuable than someone with less money, education, status, etc.

The gift of the Christ Child was to all people, a free gift which has only to be accepted. This is a way too strange and simple thing for way too many people.

But that's the way it is and that's what I think about it.