Luke 2:8-14 reminds us of a well-known and incredibly interesting story used throughout the Christmas season. Take a moment and re-read the verses below:
“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’”
These men were ordinary shepherds. Although a shepherd’s status in first-century society remains debatable, they certainly didn’t enjoy significant levels of prestige. At worst, they were considered outcasts and unclean, but even at best, they were ordinary men performing an ordinary task in an ordinary occupation.
They were tending sheep in an ordinary field. The only thing unique about the field was its proximity to where Jesus was born. Other than that, the dirt, rocks, sticks, thorns and patches of weeds were all normal – nothing special.
As far as we know, the entire flock was comprised of ordinary sheep. The sounds, smells and routines that evening were just like every other night. I’m sure some of the sheep were easy to care for and lead while others were quite a handful!
And this specific night, as far as the shepherds could tell, was just like any other night – ordinary. How many hundreds, if not thousands, of nights had these shepherds watched their flocks? How many times had they witnessed the beauty of the moon rising in the east, and how often did they gaze in wonder at the stars? This evening, just like every other evening, seemed ordinary to the shepherds.
Then, in the middle of what seemed ordinary, God did something extraordinary – something miraculous – something life-changing!
In an instant, the shepherds experienced the extraordinary presence of an angel, they heard an extraordinary message of good news and great joy, they were overwhelmed by the extraordinary multitude of the heavenly hosts, and after a brief journey, they met an extraordinary Savior. Goodness, what a blessed, exciting, awesome and extraordinary evening!
Why is it helpful to be reminded of this? Because God oftentimes uses what we might label “ordinary” to accomplish the extraordinary. In an instant, God can interrupt our “ordinary” routines and reveal His power, purpose and presence. Interestingly, this means there’s really no such thing as an ordinary day.
To our Missouri Baptist family and beyond, I pray you enjoy a blessed Christmas. As we contemplate the birth of our Savior, may our hearts be filled with awe, wonder, and worship!