Yesterday’s devotional talked about the shepherds giving us an example to follow because they took action and went to Bethlehem. That’s not the only good example they gave us.  Consider three more.

“When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child…  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2:17-20)

First, notice the words, “they spread the word.”  Good news is to be shared.  The shepherds seemed to have done so spontaneously.  They just automatically began telling their story. As Christians we are specifically commissioned (ordered) to spread the word. 

Secondly, notice the words, “the shepherds returned.”  This seems rather elementary but after any spiritual encounter, we should return!  Back to our ordinary lives.  Back to our family.  Back to our jobs.  The vast, vast majority of Christians are not called to cloister themselves away in a chapel somewhere.  We are called to return to the world.

Thirdly, notice the words, “glorifying and praising God…”  I suspect that too often we take blessings for granted and forget to give credit where credit is due.  We don’t have to be literally singing all the time but we ought always to be glorifying and praising God.

At Christmas we often talk about the shepherds AND the wise men.  The truth is, the shepherds were wise men and we’d be wise to follow their example.