I can never get beyond the fact that the first people to whom God chose to announce the birth of his son where shepherds. Not kings. Not wealthy businessmen. Not princesses or priests. Ordinary, dirty, smelly, shepherds.

Blue collar, these herders possessed neither power or education. They lived away from polite society. They had nothing to give Jesus. Which is perhaps the point.

Of many lessons we can draw from the story found in Luke chapter two, the most compelling to me is the reminder that everyone, even the lowliest in our estimation, remains valuable to God, including those magnificent shepherds.

The Lord chose to first announce the greatest birth in all history, the birth of our Savior, to people on the bottom rung of society. Something for us to ponder during the busy rush of consumption this time of year.

Soon after Jesus was born, Magi, or wise men, arrived from the East to worship the new child king. Entering Jerusalem, they created a stir, disturbing King Herod and the entire city (it’s been said that the entire city was upset along with the king, because the king was paranoid and tended to kill people when stressed).

Herod called the chief priests and teachers together to find out where the Messiah was to be born. Bethlehem was the answer and when Herod later talked to the Magi in secret he shared this knowledge. The Magi promptly boarded their camels and went to find Jesus.

As the Magi carried on, the teachers and the priests apparently went home. After hearing the wondrous tale of a Messiah only a few miles away, one group of learned men went to find the child, while others couldn’t be bothered.

Why do some people find Jesus so fascinating while others turn away? In this case the religious teachers, who knew the scriptures in depth, didn’t believe a Messiah could be present in their midst. They knew their religious legends, but lost the possibility of a living Lord. The Magi, on the other hand, heard the legends, followed the star, and worshipped the king.

As you enter this Christmas season, where will you turn, toward the King in your midst, or toward the safety of ordinary life? Like the Magi, I suggest that you travel a bit farther to Bethlehem. The last few miles make all the difference.