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Parables
of the Pastor’s Cats
While Shepherds Watched
They spook easily. Living out in the wild, any sound that
they hear could warn of a predator, even in the relatively civilized
setting of the farm.
Coyotes wander nearby, from time to time. Hawks prowl the skies looking
for a meal. Even a racoon can be a dangerous opponent at times.
So the cats seem to be
constantly on guard.
When an angel appeared in the night sky on that first Christmas
evening,
the shepherds would have noticed right away.
They were watching for predators. Their ears were tuned to the sounds
of critters in the night. Any rustle in the bushes might be a wolf
circling the flock.
But what they saw was an incredible brightness.
And it frightened them.
Even an announcement of peace and hope can be a scary thing. We don't
walk among angels, so their appearance is frightful. And we don't live
in a world of peace, so the prospects might seem ... well, scary.
What would it cost? If God really poured his favor out on ordinary
shepherds, how would
their lives change?
Or ours? How would our lives change?
Maybe that's why the angel didn't tell them everything. There was just
the announcment. Oh, and one thing to do. Very simple.
Go and see the baby.
That's it. Go and meet Jesus, just as you are.
That's not so scary, is it?
(You can read the story of the angels and
the shepherds in your Bible in Luke 2.)
Open my eyes so that I might see great and
wonderful things in your word.
Psalm 119:18
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