No Shepherds...

Hmmmm.....

This year I decided to have a special conversation with the children on Christmas Eve. My plan was to have a discussion about each piece of the nativity and what it meant--telling the story is always more fun with props. Well... there were no affordable nativity sets to be found that included shepherds. Yes, that is correct... no shepherds! I had a small nativity set that I could use, but that too did not have shepherds. Even went to a Christian book store to look at the children's nativity sets and found them. However... no shepherds once again. Of course, I could have bought a set for several hundred dollars with all the pieces but it was far too fragile for kids.

Is that what we have come to? Placing front and center the esteemed wise men along the Holy family, but not one lowly shepherd? Are they too lowly? Too humble? What does that teach our children... that only the wise (and rich and powerful) are worthy of a place by the manger? Why must it always be that the lowly are invisible and ignored? Why do we let society get away with it?

I'm know, I could have found one online... eventually. But that isn't the point is it? Or maybe it is. As followers of Jesus, we must not expect culture to supply what we need--we must search it out ourselves... and for our children. And that is just what I did. I found a couple of very suitable shepherd ornaments that adorned my stable along with an angel that would sit upon the stable top (even if at a slight angle).

And it was perfect!!!