BLUE-COLLAR SHEPHERDS CHECK OUT THE CHRIST

(The following is a brief reflection on the shepherds in the Christmas story, as delivered at a Christmas Eve service at my church.) Christmas time and shepherds calls up a picture of poor saps in bathrobes and fake beards looking adoringly at a plastic baby in a fake manger. (Present company excepted.) What I think it should call up instead is admiration for Christianity’s first evangelists and a determination on our part to tell the story of the good news with as much passion and joy as they did. A few things ...