I want to continue these columns for the Advent Season.  They provide a well-balanced approach to the birth of Jesus, our Savior.  After last week's emphasis on the prophecy and preparation, we come this week to the announcement by the angels to the shepherds.  Why was this noteworthy?

The answer has to do with the way that we value and evaluate people.  Another way to put this is to say that this is part of God's answer to our earthly class systems.  All kinds of class systems in every civilization.  God's good news cuts across all of these artificial barriers.

The angels appeared in the heavens to announce the birth of the Messiah of the world.  Now, to whom would you think that announcement would first be made?  To the king?  To the nobles? To other aristocracy?  To the captains of business and industry?  It was made to none of the above.  Not even close.

God chose to make the announcement to the lowly shepherds.  They were near the bottom of the Totem pole in social class.  They were nobodies.  To the Jews, they were the despised Am Ha Aretz, or people of the land.  These were the first ones to learn and to see what God had done.

What does this tell us?  God has and has had a preferential option for the poor, the downtrodden, the injured, and the sick and incarcerated.  God's choices wouldn't be very popular in today's society, would they?  And they were not popular in the first century either.

You see, God operates according to His own priorities and time table.  He intended and He intends for the common folk to hear and see what He is doing and have the same opportunity to receive the good things which He offers as the upper and more privileged people.

Mission efforts by all of our great denominations are aimed usually at the common people first.  They have the fewest hang ups with God and are usually the quickest to respond to what He is doing.  Occasionally you will find someone who is an aristocrat, bureaucrat, or other high level person who responds as does one of the common folk, but not too often.  Now, God loves upper class folk, too, but I want you to see that in timing, God let the common folk in first before the upper class folk.

Are you one of the common folk?  Rejoice, for God loves you a lot.  He sent Jesus to be the savior and messiah for you and for everyone else.  Rejoice today!