The Shepherd Boy

 

            The young shepherd watched and listened, feeling a sense of almost overwhelming awe.  He was a young boy doing a man’s job.  His father had died the previous spring leaving a vast empty space in his family.  Since then he’d been called to take over all the responsibilities of the flock.  He would care for them, raise them, lead them to the best pasture.  He wasn’t entirely on his own, though he felt very much alone the last year.  There were shepherds who’d known his father.  They became his mentors, helpers, and guides.  Their wives watched over his mother and his brother and sister.  Things had not gone well at first, but they were better now.  He was old enough to do the work of a shepherd, but young enough to sometimes miss snuggling close to his mother on cold nights when he was tending the flock.  No mentor or guide could prepare him for what he now witnessed.  He’d never before heard of such a thing happening, and that filled him with fear.

            The other shepherds gathered around him.  They often herded together at night.  There was safety in numbers, and more protection from the lions and wolves that craved the easy prey of the young sheep.  In the daylight they dispersed again, seeking their own pasture.

            This night they gathered close around him.  He understood immediately.  As they protected the herds, so they protected him.  He felt their warmth, heard the rustle of their homespun and sheepskin clothing.  He didn’t know if they were afraid, but he knew he was.  He stared at the visitor standing before them, his feet just above the ground.

            He was tall, taller than any of them, and clean, spotless.  They were used to the dirt of honest labor.  This man wore a white robe, and the effect was one of great concern.  Bright light gathered around him almost as if he were on fire!  Man on earth never kindled the fire that shone around him.  His eyes were clear and bright and great care and concern almost literally beamed from them.  The boy had never seen such love before.  The visitor’s eyes moved from one shepherd to another.  The boy bowed his head slightly.  Surely the exalted being before them could not possibly be mindful of him.  As he look up the man’s eyes met his.

            In that moment more than acknowledgement passed between them. There was complete acceptance, and complete warm love.  And there was trust, and concern all at once.  The boy felt his heart flood over in that one moment of time.

            The man’s eyes searched out each shepherd, each pair of eyes, and, the boy sure, each heart.  His eyes returned several times to the boy, and each time the message was reinforced.  Love.  You matter.  You are of worth.  I have come here to see you.

            It was only a moment, but it seemed like a long time.  So great was the warmth filling his heart he could not speak.  He felt his throat tighten.  Then the man stood taller, and raised his hand.

            “Fear not,” he said softly.

            The words struck deep in his heart.  He knew he had no reason to be afraid now, and he breathed deeply.  The shepherds around him seemed to relax at these words, and to listen more attentively.  They drifted apart, no longer feeling the need to protect him from this remarkable person.

            “…for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

            The boy felt like laughing.  His heart was light, and he was happy!  A Savior!  The Messiah!  He was here at long last!  His father had spoken often of the promised Messiah!

            Suddenly there were a host of men and women, all shining brightly, all standing tall, smiling, and happy.  They sang!  Oh, how they sang!

            “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

            The song filled the sky and filled their hearts.  All the men and women were gone then, as they had come.  In an instant it was as if they had never been there at all.  They left an incredible stillness, a holy stillness.  Even the sheep were quiet.

            After a moment Lehi, their leader, turned to them.  Softly, reverently, he said, “Truly, these are angels from God.  We must go and see this baby the Lord has sent.  For surely this is a wonder and a miracle.  The Lord has made this know to us that we may go and see.  Come.  Let us go.”

            The others agreed.  Lehi turned away from the flocks.  The others followed.  The boy stood still, knowing someone had to stay to watch the sheep.  In his heart he ached to go, too.  Then Lehi stopped, and turned.

            “The Lord did not send this message to just us, boy,” he said softly.  “Come.  You must go and see this, too.”

            “But, the sheep,” the boy protested softly, weakly.

            Lehi smiled warmly and held out his hand.

            “We promised your mother we would watch over you as you watched over the sheep.  The Lord has called us to witness this great event.  He has called you, too, and we cannot leave you behind.  He will send His angels to watch over the sheep this night.  Come.  We should go.”

            “But, where?” One of the shepherds asked.

            The boy grew tall, and said, “To the city of David, Ruben.  That was what the angel said.  To Bethlehem.  It was the city called the House of Bread.  The Lord chose this city for His Son to be born in.”

            The others stared at him.

            “So much knowledge from one so young,” Lehi said softly.

            The others patted him on the back, or squeezed his shoulder.  Together they walked the few short miles to Bethlehem.

            It was not hard to find the new family.  It seemed many in the town were aware of the birth in the stable.  The midwife was the one who directed them into the enclosure.  There were lamps lit all around.

            The shepherds arrived and were immediately given way to the stable.  After all, this was their world, their realm.

            As the boy entered, ducking as the shepherds had to miss the low overhang of the entrance, he was pushed gradually to the front so he could see.

            A man, young, dressed modestly but well, sat close.  He had the look of a craftsman, a man used to work.  His hands were laid quietly in his lap, and his face bore a look of quiet peace.  He smiled at the boy.

            The woman sat close to the man, where his hands could assist her.  She was the most beautiful woman the boy had ever seen.  Hi heart was touched again.  She, too, looked up at him and smiled.

            She held a newborn baby in her arms.  The baby was wrapped snuggly against the night chill.  He was wide awake and he stared around him as if wanting to learn everything about the world this very night.  He looked peaceful and satisfied.

            The man said softly, smiling, “I am Joseph, and this is my wife, Mary.”

            The boy breathed deeply, and said softly, “Please, ma’am.  The baby.  What is His name?”

            She smiled down at the infant, and said, “His name is Jeshua.”

            The boy felt his chest nearly burst, and said, “That is my name!  I am Jeshua ben Sala.”

            Mary nodded, and said, “It is a fine, strong name.  Live up to it’s promise, young Jeshua.  My son will be known as Jeshua ben Joseph.  But,” and she looked up at him with a quiet smile, “he is the Son of God.”

            “I know,” Jeshua responded.  “The angels told us.”

            “Your father must be very proud of you,” the man, Joseph, said softly.  He reached out with one great hand and squeezed the boy’s arm.

            “My father,” Jeshua choked softly, “died a year ago.”

            “It’ll be okay,” Mary said quickly, her voice full of compassion.  “Jeshua, because of my son, your father shall live.  You will see him again.”

            “When?” Jeshua asked quickly.

            The woman looked at her husband. 

            He nodded and said, “Not in this life, Jeshua.  But you will see him in the life to come.  That is the promise of Mary’s son, God’s son.”

            Jeshua nodded, staring at Mary and the baby.  Then he knew what a miracle was.  It was the birth of a baby.  He stared at the infant, then impulsively reached out and stroked the baby’s cheek.  His heart was full, and his eyes were overflowing.  It was more than he could take in all at once.  He was crying openly now and not ashamed.  He believed Mary.  He believed Joseph.  He would see his father again.  It would all be okay.

            The baby looked up at him, at the touch of his finger, and cooed as a baby would.  He smiled.  Jeshua jumped up and breathed.

            “I have to tell my mother, and my brother and sister,” he said softly, reverently, but not hiding the excitement in his voice.  “I have to tell them the messiah is here!”

            Mary smiled, and then looked down at her baby.

            “Of course,” she said warmly.  “They must know.  You should be the one to tell them.  Tell them also that they will see your father again, too.”

            “I will, Mary, I will,” Jeshua said, tears streaming down his face now.

            He got up, backing away, but not willing to leave.  Finally he turned away and left the stable.

            “We must go, too,” Lehi said to the other shepherds, then nodding to Joseph.  “As the angel told us, so we should tell the others.”

            “So God promised,” Joseph said, nodding back.

            They met together one last time for the evening in the narrow street outside.

            “Jeshua, you can find your own way home?”  Lehi asked, though he knew the answer before he asked.

            “Yes,” Jeshua said, his voice still carrying he excitement.

            “Our sheep will be watched over this night,” Lehi reminded the other shepherds. “We must spread these tidings that the Messiah is here.”

            Jeshua ran most of the several miles home.  His feet were light and he felt he was floating over the countryside, not running.  The sky was crystal clear and the stars exceptionally bright.  At some point, he was not sure when, he found himself singing the same song the angels had sung.  He remembered the song and the miracle the remainder of his life.

            “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”