The Shepherd’s Courage and Compassion
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The Shepherd’s Courage and Compassion
By Braxton King
When reading the Bible, we recognize that one of the great occupations of the patriarchs was that of being a shepherd.
We know that Moses, Abraham, and David were all shepherds.
In Psalms 23, David calls God his Shepherd. Jesus described himself as a Good Shepherd. We understand the courage of a shepherd when David fought the bear and lion to deliver the sheep. We understand the compassion of a shepherd, as well. As Jesus said, “The shepherd would leave the 99 to go find the one sheep that was lost.”
Jesus looked at the multitude and had compassion for them because they were as sheep with no shepherd. Is it any wonder that when it came time to announce the birth of the Savior of the world that it would be to shepherds?
The shepherds were nearby taking care of their sheep, when all of a sudden, the angel of the Lord flashed upon them and the glory of the Lord shone about them. The shepherds were terribly frightened. They were instructed not to be afraid: for the angel had good news for them, news that there was great joy coming to all the people.
The shepherds were told of the One who was to be born that day in the city of David-a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
They were instructed that they would find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. The shepherds were filled with amazement, and in haste, moved toward the Messiah. They did not keep this news to themselves, but they began to spread it abroad-they had seen the hope of their people.
We can learn a lot from the shepherds.
The Lord will direct us to Jesus, and when He does, we are to tell others about the magnificent One who has come to save His people from their sins. The greatest gift ever given to mankind was wrapped in linen and lying in a manger.
This little baby, which was the fulfillment of the prophetic words of all the prophets, would be the Shepherd of His people. The Bible tells us that we are the sheep of His pasture.
Not only would this baby be the Shepherd of His people, but He would be the Lamb that would die for their sins. The announcement came first to these lowly shepherds, tending their flocks out in the fields at night.
What a magnificent scene shined about them, but the scene was eclipsed by that baby lying in a manger.
Their lives, like ours, will never be the same after we encounter the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.
Reprinted courtesy of McCreary Journal.