“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.” (Luke 2:8)
His name was Bill, and for a number of years we attended the same church. He was a motorcycle enthusiast, to say the least, and it was not unusual for Bill to come to worship wearing jeans and a Harley-Davidson t-shirt. Before the service began, he would be up and down the aisles welcoming people. On occasion, he would take the pulpit to share something that had happened in his life or promote a mission or upcoming activity in the church. I would criticize him for being far too wordy and would usually roll my eyes when I knew he was getting up to speak. He pretty much drove me nuts. Then I went through a difficult time in my life, and one day when I went to the mailbox – there was a card from Bill. In the card, he wrote a personal note of encouragement and offered to come to my home and pray with me if I desired him to do so. I never took him up on his offer, but months later I saw him and told him how much I had appreciated his card. About a year later, I opened the newspaper one morning and saw his obituary. I realized that Bill had given me a gift of joy. There are persons I would not have been surprised to reach out to me during that time, but “Harley Bill?” Never would have expected it!
The adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” seems to apply here. The Gospel of John reminds us: “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly” (John 7:24). In the Old Testament, the story is told of Samuel who was commissioned by the Lord to go to Jesse of Bethlehem in search of a new king. Jesse had seven of his sons pass by Samuel. However none of them fulfilled the words of the Lord: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). It was not until Jesse sent for his youngest, a shepherd boy named David, that the Lord’s words were satisfied. We should not be surprised, as we prepare to come to the manger this Christmas, that we find the baby Jesus in this very same city of Bethlehem (“The City of David”) being visited by the shepherds,
Isn’t it interesting that out of all of Jerusalem society, God picked a band of shepherds to hear the news of Jesus’ birth? They would have been among the lowest and most despised social groups of their day and would have no doubt be dirty, smelly and unkempt. But Luke tells us that “they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” (Luke 2:16). Depicted in several versions of the painting entitled “The Adoration of the Shepherds” – they are shown kneeling before the crib, hands raised in gestures of prayer and amazement reflecting what that had been told by the angel: “I bring to you good news of great joy that will be for all people” (Luke 2:10). More significant, they came to see Him the night He was born and, despite the many versions of the story that are told – most likely no one else did. They were the first eyewitnesses who spread the word of His birth, “and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them” (Luke 2:18).
As we enter the third week of the Advent season, we should be aware that joy proclaims itself in many different ways. Sometimes, it comes as an enthusiastic follower attired with a Harley insignia. It can be seen in the shepherds as they enter with haste and use their staff to kneel in the presence of the newborn king. Or maybe we find it in the words of a carol reflected by our own desire to feel in our hearts once more the true meaning of Christmas. But don’t be fooled; it is there waiting for you. Just be aware of the wrapping . . . for it doesn’t always appear in a way you might expect.
REFLECTION: Are there times in your life when you have received unanticipated joy from someone whom you least expected? Is there a person you know who might have a heart very different than what you might be judging by their external persona? How might you work at experiencing new joy this Christmas?
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