The last and the least

Recently I came across this statement, "God delighted in taking the least, the lost, and the last and using them." God's ways are not our ways and His plans are carried out by people we would not have chosen for Him. If God had an important announcement we would choose someone that we believed to be worthy of making such an announcement. But God often chooses the last and the least.
I think of the first people to be told that a Savior had been born. They were not important in the sight of those in the town, in fact they would probably not have even been invited to any of the local festivities. Yet God choose a group of humble shepherds who were "abiding in a field, keeping watch over their flock by night" to be the very first recipients of the best glad tidings ever to be delivered to earth.
These were the least and the last in everyone's mind. These shepherds kept watch over sheep which means they had an unpleasant odor about them and due to their work may have even been considered unclean at times. They were definitely not on anyone's guest list for Christmas dinner.
Yet it would be these lowly shepherds who were given the glorious message first, that the long awaited Messiah was born. He who would bring peace to earth was born in Bethlehem and given a sign that they might know Him. Something I never realized before today is the fact that these shepherds were never told which manger the newborn King was laid in, only that He would be wrapped in swaddling clothes. I wonder how long it took them to find the right stable. The Bible says that they found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger which indicates they had been searching.
It took determination and courage on their part to go into a town where they were considered the least and the last and search every stable to find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. I am pretty sure they received more than a few odd looks. Maybe that is why God entrusted them with the news first, to shepherds who were used to searching. I am confident that these men spent many hours scouring the hills looking for lost sheep so what was a little town compared to that? They were relentless in their quest for the babe whom the angel had told them about and their endeavor was not in vain. And it did not stop there, when the shepherds saw with their eyes the newborn babe their hearts could not contain the joy inside. Everyone in the town, whether they wanted to or not, heard the news that had been told them, they made sure to tell their glad tidings to all. No wonder the people of this little village wondered, or marveled at the things "which were told them by the shepherds". (Luke 2:18).
​God is not interested in our background or our upbringing, what He does want is a willing heart that will do His bidding. I want to be like these shepherds who make people marvel at the news, the good news I share with them.
May we share the glad tidings of this glorious season with everyone we meet. Merry Christmas everyone!!