A surprise? You bet it was a surprise! Well, a shock is more like it. I heard the rabbi in town use a big word one time - flabbergasted. That sounds like the kind of word I'd want to use. The day had been nothing usual. Our lives, they are not that complicated. You look for a patch of fresh pasture. You do a few flea dips. You check for footrot. One wanders off and you find him trying to eat the toupe off of some sleeping nomad. The kid I work with, Daniel, had been playing his pipe… Kids these days and their music! In my day, we knew what real music sounded like. Mandolins and harps. That how it was meant to be! But that boy. He plays some strange tunes… I’m sure it upsets the sheep. But then, what are they going to do about it, heh?
Well, the boy had finally blown himself out. The sun had gone down in a blaze of glory, and the flock was all tucked in for the night. Of course, Ahmed from the other side of town says our "flock" is not really a flock. He says half a dozen is not a respectable amount for a grown man to mind. But I say that is why our wool is so good, heh? Individual attention! His wool is so coarse it is only good for sacks and rugs. My wool winds up in the robes of the rich men in the synogogue! Still, what do I care what Ahmed thinks. As long as there’s one sheep to look after, I won’t be out of a job, will I?
Where was I? Ah, yes. A fully-tucked flock. Anyway, we were both laid down in the sheepfold doorway. Keeps the sheep in and bears out, heh? Course, a smart sherpherd always watches, anyway. You never know about the wolves. They are sneaky devils! Well, we were each alone with our own thoughts, waiting for the night to fall. That’s my favorite time… dusk. The day just slipping quietly into the night as the colors drain out of the land and the stars come up, ever so slowly, like working on a piece of silver. Some say a shepherd's job is a lonely one. They do not understand that is one of the good things about the job, heh? After all, it is not like we're doing it for the fame and fortune, heh? It’s amazing the kind of things you think about way up there in the hills. In the town, you are one little ant in a crowded anthill. Out here, you are alone in a world of your own.
That was when it happened. No, I go too fast. Just before it happened, there was a moment when the air… thickened. Like when momma made syrup from the berries she found in the hills. Everything became very still. As thought even the trees were holding their breath, heh? I knew there was someone there. My first thought was of wolves. I stood up and lifted my staff, and turned. But it wasn't a wolf. I remember dropping my staff in shock and terror. I think it fell on Daniel, because he yelped and jumped up next to me. He was trembling like a newborn lamb.
“Be not afraid!” I hear, and I jumped! Sixteen feet tall he was, and shining like a copper kettle. No, more like the tip of a plough when the blacksmith takes it out of the fire. No, more like the sun in the early morning. Heh! Listen to me! Full of words to bursting and still I can't find the ones I need, heh? Anyway, the bronze man, he says he’d come with news about a baby being born down in the city. This baby was gonna be like a… a savior for the people... ALL the people, he said, heh? Not just the city folks, but us country folks, too. Imagine that! A king born in the city, who cares about the countryside! Oh, and it was a great joy he said. No kidding, I thought. And... And then there were thousands of them… maybe hundreds! I don't know, I was never good at the numbers, heh? But they were all singing. And not like shepherds sing. When we sing, we make a... how do you say... "joyful noise." But this was made Daniel's flute sound like a sheep's baah. Clear and sweet like a star at the first frost of winter. It made my bones shake, heh? Imagine that! Not the kind of thing that happens every day. They were singing about peace on Earth. I don't know anything about this "earth" place - I was not very good at geography either, heh? But I know Israel needs it badly. The Romans, they think they are bringing civilization. But all I've seen them bring is blood and bruises and gold coins with someone else's head on it, heh?
We sat there and drank in the song, and we knew this was special. The rabbi used a world once. Un-ee-cue. Wait, no! Unique! That seems like the right word. I remember the tales they tell in the synogogue. Tales about messengers sent by God. Big strong men, who weren't men at all. I think the rabbis call then "angels." I was never good at religion, either, but I figure we saw them. And heard them. And may God help me if I ever hear any other song the same way.
So, we felt we had to go and see where the king was. We figured there was no way they'd let us in, but we had to try, heh? Angels appear to two humble shepherds, it's gotta mean something. Ah, I forgot to say! The bronze man, he said the baby - the king baby, you undertsand? - would be wrapped up in and lying in a feed trough - a manger - that meant in a barn. What kind of king is born in a barn? Then I thought, maybe the kind of king who understands men who live with sheep all day, heh? And that’s just how we found him, just like they said, with his father and mother. They were suprised, too. Who wouldn't be, your wife gives birth and a couple of shepherds walk in on you! But it wasn’t awkward, heh. They were just regular people. He was a carpenter - works with his hands. Honest work. And we were awfully proud that we'd been included. said hello, and told them about the good news, and gave Him presents. I gave him a leather pouch and I told Daniel he should leave his pipe with the baby, as a present. Not much, heh? A king, he'd be expecting frankinsense of something. But it was the best we had. And no regrets. No, is not right. Regrets we not have more to give!
On the way home, we sang. "Joyful noise," remember? People made fun of us the whole way. But they listened! And we told the story over and over. It was morning before we got back. But sheep were still there… oh yes, I like to think that God was taking care of everyone that night. And even the wolves knew, it was a night for peace and joy. Peace on earth, heh? And to mean, on whom His favor rests, heh?
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The Shepherd Speaks 