The Shepherds and the Darkness

I wonder what it must have been like for the shepherds when they returned from the manger. Were their lives changed? How? They had been visited by angels; they had heard a message of good news, that the long-awaited Messiah had been born in Bethlehem. Their response had been to drop what they were doing (hopefully the sheep were all asleep!) and go to see Jesus, relaying to all who were there the angel’s message.

And then, back to the darkness. They were still poor shepherds, eking out an earning, living under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. The Apostle John says that Jesus is the “light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” So, what did this mean to the shepherds? What does this mean to us?

I have had the sense, during this Advent season, that I need more of Jesus and what he offers, and less of a lot else. What was on offer for the shepherds, and what is offered to me, is one word – Hope. I am certain that the hope of the coming Messiah, now promised by the angel, was life changing for the shepherds. Their circumstances may well have never changed, but living with hope certainly changed them on the inside. They had been reminded that God is faithful, even as His ways are mysterious, and they would never forget the angel’s message.

We are not that different from the shepherds. We also live in a time of great darkness. Globally, millions are dying of starvation; millions more are killed by dictators and warlords. Closer to home, we hope for political solutions even when we know politicians cannot deliver. Or we look to church leaders who too often also let us down. Personally, we deal with the death of loved ones, others struggling with disease; broken relationships.

This Advent season it has been good for me to believe, again, that the “light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The first words of the angel of the Lord were, “Fear not! Behold!” There was, and is today, much to fear. This is why “Fear not” would be the common command of Jesus to the people he encountered during his lifetime. There is much to fear, and yet, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

When I hear the angel say, “Behold!” I think he is saying, “Pay attention!” “What has happened in a stable in Bethlehem has just altered the course of history!” Jesus has come; His Spirit is alive and well. We just have to pay attention to see how He is at work, even now, in the darkness.

“The light shines in the darkness” – as a follower of Jesus, I wonder if I can be a kind of light to others. Can I be more patient? Understanding? Forgiving? Can I accept others in a loving way? (After all, we’re called to “love our neighbors as ourselves,” and it is the Pharisee and lawyer who look for ways to not have to love certain neighbors.)

The darkness is incapable of putting out the Light. I am glad to have been reminded of that this season. I will do my best to “fear not” and “trust more.” And I will pay attention to the reminders all around me that confirm that the Light indeed shines, and that in some small way, I can maybe be a light to others. What a concept to consider in this day and age.