Angels and Shepherds - an Odd Pairing

OK, so today's reading brought me to Luke 2. Probably one of the best known Christmas story passages. One of the things that struck me while reading it again with fresh eyes was the part about the angels and the shepherds. Here, take a minute to read it:

"8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.10 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them."

So, you're sitting around the camp fire with the other shepherds, havin' dinner and relaxing after a long day of tending to the sheep and all of a sudden this (what I presume to be) huge and menacing angel appears in the sky above you. And to add to the spectacle, "the Glory of the Lord" was there to. Now, I'm not to sure what that means exactly, but if it is the "glory of the Lord" I am thinking about, it is probably the same one that made Moses glow when he saw it - or at least something similar. It's no wonder that the next line was written: " and they were filled with fear."

I think we have become desensitized to the pictures of angels we see in children's books or on our Christmas cards to think they are these beautiful women in flowy gowns with amazing wings and never a bad hair day. On the contrary, they are men and while they still probably never have a bad hair day, every time I remember reading about them it talks about the people being afraid. I imagine they are very are amazing but daunting creature that would set the manliest of men back a few feet. Got the picture in your head?

The scene continues and after the shepherd's have calmed down a bit and can focus enough to listen, the angel brings his message about the birth of Jesus. If all that was not enough to let them know this was no ordinary child, God ups the ante by sending a angel choir to serenade them for a little bit. Talk about an experience. WOW!

So, I am am reading this and I asked myself "why did God choose that particular group to give the news to first?" I think the answer is in the next part of the passage. It says that when the angels left, they discussed it for a few minutes and decided to take a little road trip to see the baby. Now this was not like waiting a couple days after the birth to let the mother recover and bond with her child and then visiting. It says they "made haste", booked it over to the stable to see this awesome baby. Then, they told everyone they came in contact with after that about their experience. Bottom line, I think God chose them because he knew he could count on them to spread the word about His son.

It makes me wonder how many awesome experiences I miss because God knows that I will keep it to myself and not spread the word to everyone I come in contact with or because He knows I will be to busy to notice.

I am quite positive that I would fall into the category of so many before me and be scared out of my wits if a choir of angels decided to give me a private concert. But I'll happily deal with the dear, if it means I shine so much from being in the presence of His glory that I can't keep my mouth shut about it!

Lord, open my eyes to extraordinary experiences from you. Help me to be found faithful enough that you don't pass me by because you know I will keep it to myself. Make me shine so everyone I come in contact with knows I have seen You!