Outcasts

Another memory making day. This post was originally published on December 14, 2013.
Be blessed, again.

 

People on the fringe,
People we dismiss,
People we can do without,
The ones we often miss.

The outcasts of society,
We often look away,
Someone else’s problem,
The ones who can’t repay.

They’re the ones God is tender for,
The ones who have His heart,
The ones who tend to listen to,
The Truth He does impart.

They were outcasts in the field that night,
Tending to their sheep,
The nighttime all around them,
While the world was fast asleep.

Shepherds who for one small sheep,
Would of course lay down their life,
Shepherds who fought a predator,
With a stick, a stone, a knife.

Shepherds who learned to listen,
While the world was fast asleep,
Shepherds who heard the faintest sound,
In the darkness, oh so deep.

It was to these smelly shepherds,
The angel majestically came,
Afraid, they trembled before him,
Never giving his name.

Do not be afraid! he said to them,
Good news to you I bring.
Joyful news to all people.
Others angels came to sing.

Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace to men,
On whom His favor rests.
They wanted to hear it again.

Let’s go to Bethlehem and see,
This thing we were told about,
The Lord has told us; it is true!
Of this we have no doubt!

The shepherds hurried off to find,
A baby lying there,
Mary and Joseph by His side,
They had to go and share.

Share the good news they received,
A very different way,
Share the news that was proclaimed,
About the place where Jesus lay.

These evangelists were outcasts,
They were trusted with the news,
Hurried to do what they were told,
How could they dare refuse?

Shepherds who were outcasts,
The ones who were dismissed.
The ones who heard the Good News,
From the angels in their midst.

Only God would choose the ordinary,
To share His Holy news,
Only God would pick the outcasts,
They’re the ones He’d choose.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 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 about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:8-20)

Shepherds had a necessary job, but not a desirable one.
Shepherds were people who were easily dismissed.
They were the outcasts, on the fringe, out of the mainstream.

Yet these very shepherds were the ones God chose to entrust the news of His Son’s birth.

Why them?
Why not?

The shepherds were not on the fringe to God.
They were not outcasts to God.
Instead, they who were far off were brought near to Him.

We think we are accepted because of where we live or where we work.
In reality, we are all outcasts.

We are born in sin; separated from the Father.
We are on the fringe of all of God’s promises.
We have no possibility of eternal life with Him.

Because of that tiny baby, God with us, we can be accepted.
Jesus was born, died on the cross, and rose again.
We are on the fringe no longer.
Because of Jesus, we are no longer outcasts.

Do you hear the grand pronouncement?
Can you imagine the night sky above the fields where the shepherds tended their sheep?
Brighter than any full moon, the sky resounded with angelic praise.

GOOD NEWS!
News for all people, with no delineation.
On the fringe no more because of the Savior who brought us in.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.