The most unlikely people to give witness to the birth of a king might have been shepherds.
Shepherds were not well thought of in ancient Israel. Meandering sheep herders were not the cream of the crop, top of society, apex of education, or anything really. They just took care of sheep. There job was important, but it was just watching sheep after all.
This story sounds so unusual for many reasons - a virgin birth, angels, visitors from far away nations. To me the entire idea of God sending His son into the world and using angels as messengers makes sense. The work of the shepherds in this narrative seems completely unnecessary. Utilize the angel army and communicate in a powerful way with a world in which "seeing is believing." Angels or shepherds? Doesn't seem like much of a choice to me.
Why did God employ lowly shepherds to announce the birth of His son? Perhaps because I have more in common with a shepherd than an angel.
Just a thought.
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