God’s Shepherd- A Christmas Story
“I am the good
shepherd…” (John 10:11)
Some time ago, I read a
wonderful article written by Ralph Winter on a different view of a Bethlehem
shepherd. See if it doesn’t strike you
like it did me:
The frost of forty winters
had etched deep lines into the shepherd's face. Having spent his
entire life outdoors on Bethlehem's hills, he was old at forty — and cold. The
hillside where he sat this day was cold, too, and he pulled his mantle close
about him to block the wind.
Every so often he would
shift position, not out of discomfort so much, but from a sense of unease,
anxiety, crowdedness.
Instead of hundreds of sheep with whom he felt quite at home, this hillside was
flocked with people — thousands of them — listening attentively to the Teacher.
They could hear him fairly well, except when the wind whisked away his words.
Tobias ben David
(pronounced da-VEED) was the shepherd's name, though people called him Toby. His flocks were in good
hands this week, cared for by his grown sons, but Toby had left them to listen
to Jesus of Nazareth. Today the Teacher was talking about salvation, how God
came to save his people from their waywardness and sins, to rescue them and
gather them close.
Now Jesus' illustration
turned to sheep.
Toby felt better. He knew a lot more about sheep than people.
"The good
shepherd," Jesus was saying, "lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand who
doesn't own the flock runs away when he sees the wolf coming, but not the good
shepherd...." One night, years ago, the men Toby had hired to watch the
flock with him fled when they saw a mountain lion roaming the hills. But Toby
had stayed. Shepherding was his livelihood. He knew the sacrifices that good
shepherding required. He knew about defending defenseless lambs. He knew about
putting his life on the line for the sheep. That's what good shepherds did.
Jesus continued,
"Suppose you have 100 sheep and when night comes one is missing. What do
you do? You leave the 99 sheep all safe together and then climb the hills,
looking, searching until you find the lost sheep. Then you pick him up,
put him on your shoulders, bring him down the hill to the camp, and ask your
fellow shepherds to rejoice with you."
"Your heavenly
Father is like that," Jesus said. "When you have lost your way, he
will rescue you and save you and never give up on you until he finds you — and
you find him."
Toby's heart was
racing.
He felt a lump in his throat. He understood. Toby
had combed the hills for lost sheep, not stopping, not quitting. He knew the joy of
discovery, of rescuing the sheep from a thicket, of bringing it back and
celebrating with his friends. He had been
that kind of shepherd.
But he also knew how it
felt to wander off, feeling lost, aimless, trapped. Clueless about where
he was and where he was going. Flailing about, struggling to climb out of what
seemed like a steep ravine. That's why he came today to hear the Teacher,
hoping to regain the faith he had felt as a child, a ten-year-old child.
His mind spun back to
the evening of his tenth birthday. Like nearly every night, he was out on the
hills with his dad or his uncles, caring for the sheep. The stars were
brilliant, dancing in the black sky. But suddenly an overpowering bright light
flooded the hillside. A voice boomed out, "Behold, I bring you good news
of a great joy which shall be for all the people. For to you is born this day
in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!"
A savior, a rescuer —
shepherds' work.
He had often wondered about the boy-child they discovered that night, lying in
a manger, just as the angel had said. Toby had knelt down and worshipped the
baby who bore the world's destiny upon his tiny shoulders. What had become of
him, this baby? By now he must be thirty-something. Had this savior saved
anyone yet? Rescued anyone? Could he rescue me from my aimless existence? Toby
wondered.
Just then the wind
caught Jesus' words and blew them Toby's direction. "I am the Good
Shepherd," Jesus was saying, "who lays down his life for the sheep.
Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me," he said with warmth and joy full
on his face, "for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls."
I wonder? thought Toby
as he felt big tears begin to roll down his cheeks and into his beard. I wonder? thought Toby
as joy and the certainty of God's love began to fill his heart until it seemed
like he would explode. I wonder? thought Toby, if this Jesus is the little baby
I saw that night, the Savior of the world? Yes, thought Toby, he must be. His
words found me and, frankly, he sounds just like he's ... God's shepherd.
**Article by Ralph F. Winter
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