I recently heard a Christmas message focused on how God uses the unexpected and the overlooked to accomplish His work for His glory. The message centered on the shepherds, who were the first to hear of the birth of Jesus. In biblical times, shepherds were considered lower-class and often marginalized. Their testimonies were not even allowed in court. Yet God chose them to be the first witnesses to the birth of the Savior of the world.
When the shepherds heard the words of the angel, they went. They witnessed. Then they spread the word about what had been told to them.
God used societal “nobodies” to be the first witnesses to the Messiah. Interestingly, at the other bookend of the Gospels, God used another group of societal nobodies (women) to be the first witnesses to the risen Savior.
Society told us these people had lower value and lower status. God tells us they are worthy. God chose to use them, and they responded in obedience. Not because of who they were, but because of who He is. Not because of what they did, but because of what God is doing. God is in the habit of consistently using nobodies for His glory.
So the next time you see a shepherd in a nativity scene, I hope you think about how God used those men, despite their status, because they were His chosen witnesses, to see the birth of His Son and share the good news of the arrival of the Messiah.