Shepherds of Greatness

This week in the devotional Advent Journeys we move to the fields outside Bethlehem. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live as a shepherd? There is more to the life than just following sheep. Take a look at the devotions this week, you can explore for free if you are an Amazon Prime member. I think you will enjoy the adventures of the Shepherds.

The Bible has a lot to say about shepherds. The first shepherd in the Bible (and we can assume the man who domesticated sheep) was Abel. His work, his heart of faith, and his offering pleased God. God’s love for Abel was seen by all (but there were not many people in the world at that time), and was displeasing to Abel’s brother Cain.

The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s sons were all shepherds. They developed large flocks, enjoyed great prosperity and developed quite a reputation as businessmen. Some of their neighbors were not too keen on their success. The Philistines stopped up their wells and attempted to get them to move, but God protected the Hebrew people.

Moses took up shepherding at the age of forty after a tragedy made a move necessary to sof ha’olam smola (סוף העולם שמאלה). Moses possibly learned the basics of shepherding through leadership training in Egypt in the school of Pharaoh. On the back side of the desert Moses met his wife, saw a burning bush and received his call to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. (Who ever said Shepherding is boring?)

In an opposite way a shepherd boy named David received training to become King of all Israel through his leadership of sheep. (I wonder if there is a similarity between dumb sheep and a nation full of people). David learned bravery through protecting his sheep. He learned to sing and compose music either through necessity because of the vastness and emptiness of the Judean wilderness or through the constant bleating of the sheep. The solitude of the desert also taught David to worship God.

Shepherds are a unique group of people who carry a huge responsibility. This week we will join the shepherds as they live out their responsibilities and carry out their duties. Please, join the reading!

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The joy of a child: Sarah, Hannah & Elizabeth

It can well be said that the birth of a child changes a person’s life.  The birth of my daughters Chelsea and Sarah has added an irreplaceable dimension to my life.  This dimension is more than the miracle of the little face with it’s eyes looking up at me (and me into those little eyes with wonder), or the ten little fingers which eventually grasped my index finger as they reached out in trust, or even the body which was born as a human wiggling as it showed of the life within.

The change in my life is more than the routine which was abruptly changed by those cries in the night to be fed or changed.  It was more than the new room we prepared in our home; but rather the change came through the new room which was formed in my heart for these little lives which God entrusted to Denise and I.

These lives were but a beginning, yet unshaped and unlearned, waiting to be taught and shown what life is all about.  In the early days my daughters trusted. ANd I gave all that I could so they would learn the things they needed in order to survive and to thrive in the world.

Then as life went on they taught me.  Even from the young age of three or four, they were teaching … for they kept asking, “Why?”  and I was forced to think to see if I could answer.  And as I sought the answers, I learned and I grew.  And as I loved and gave more and more of myself to keep up with their growth, God used this sacrifice to teach and shape me more into the image of who He desired me to become.

My daughters grew, and were shaped even more: not only by my teachings, or those of my wife, but through teachers at school and at church, by family, friends and neighbors, and by life itself.  And most of all (because we prayed) by God.  And my daughters grew to love God and seek His ways for their lives.  And we all learned.

In these more recent days, we have worked together.  We have written books.  First our Passover books: Spring and our Hagaddah.  And more recently Advent Journeys, a book about Christmas.

My daughters are the future, for they will live beyond my life.  They have brought the same joy as experienced by Adam and Eve as their children were born, or by Abraham and Sarah when Isaac was born, or by Isaac and Rebecca as Jacob and Esau came into this world.  They brought as much joy to Denise and I as Isaac, Samuel and John the Baptist brought when born in old age (although Denise and I were not that old).  The miracle of birth is an occurrence which will change your life.

And the more you let it change your life, the greater the reward.