When the Shepherds Saw Angels

   All was quiet for a while and Joseph was about to go and see how Mary was faring when the door to the inn flew open and several bedraggled looking men entered.
   “Is this the place?” they cried. “Is this where the child lies?”
   “Child?” Joseph sat up straight, the rising hairs on the back of his neck signalling his alarm. “He has come!” he whispered to Heli, and then quickly, before Heli could react, he exited through a side door that led to the stables.
   Intrigued with the men who entered, Heli asked, “What child?”           

   One of the men stepped forward and spoke for them all. “We are shepherds. My name is Josiah, and these are my friends. We were watching our sheep tonight and we saw … we saw …” he looked at his friends for support and they nodded their encouragement for him to continue. “We saw an angel!”
   “BAH! What good is the word of a shepherd? You are either lying or drunk,” one of the patrons said, dismissing him with a wave of his arm.
    “We are neither drunkards nor liars. I tell you, we saw an angel of the Lord! I am not lying. He actually appeared to us and it was terrifying. The angel said to us, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the city of David, a Saviour has been born to you – he is Christ the Lord.’
     “Then he said, ‘This will be a sign to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’  Then if that wasn’t enough to shock us, there were all kinds of heavenly beings that appeared in the sky with the angel and they were praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favour rests.’”
     Josiah looked at the faces around him and seeing he had everyone’s interest, he continued. “What I am saying is the truth. When the angels went back into heaven, we decided to come to Bethlehem to see for ourselves this event which the Lord had told us about. So, we have gone to every inn and home around Bethlehem to see if any babies have been born. We ask again … is this where the child lies?”
      Heli knew at once that his grandson (God’s son) had been born. He turned to the men and said, “Follow me.”