Shepherds of an Amazing Word

Shepherds of an Amazing Word

By Tina Yeager

 

“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them”

(Luke 2:16-18).

 

With each digit I type on the loan document, my slouch deepens. A familiar ache slows my fingers and tugs at the hollows of my core. I squint at the glaring screen, where my occupation’s lack of income sneers from the application page. Financial statements reduce my writing to a worthless endeavor. In the midst of an expensive holiday, I struggle to see the value of my gifts—despite my sacrifices of time, words, and a bared soul, all from a place outside the world’s sense of worth.

From my cold, rigid seat, images of the rugged dwelling places of ancient messengers filters into my thoughts. Israel’s shepherds often slept on the rocky, frigid ground to keep watch over the sacrificial material needed by their nation. Israelites respected the value of a shepherd’s work while maintaining socio-economic distance. Though curators of the people’s offerings, they didn’t enjoy houses within the community. Esteemed homes went to those who earned respectable incomes. Neighbors preferred those who smelled of spices and oils, rather than unwashed men and sheep.

Emmanuel proved God’s standards oppose ours when He chooses where to make His dwelling among us. Angelic choirs bypassed the townies for the shepherds—the marginal folks, not the socialites.

And the shepherds embraced their opportunity to experience Emmanuel. “So they hurried off and found …”

Christ birthed Himself into a stable, where he was laid in a feeding trough as a sacrificial offering to meet the needs of a spiritually starved people. Shepherds could arrive here without apology, unwashed from their outdoor living experience. From this humble, yet glorious place they delivered the message God poured through them.

As writers, we meet Emmanuel in a humble, yet glorious place, too. He offers us an opportunity to curate sacrifices and deliver His message to hungry souls. We must choose each day whether to measure ourselves by the financial spreadsheets or embrace the calling to share His amazing words.

 

Lord, thank You for honoring me with a humble and glorious calling. Shine your radiant message through my words. Keep me mindful of the value of your esteem above the world’s. Amen.

 

 

Award-winning author, speaker, and licensed therapist, Tina’s passion is to offer encouragement through spoken and written messages. Unloveable, releasing 2019, champions women’s significance. She enjoys writing nonfiction and speculative fiction while coaching online clients. Tina mentors five chapters in four states with Word Weavers International. Come visit her for a virtual cup of java at tinayeager.com.