Friday's SOAP - Luke 2:8-20

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

S(cripture) - The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.

O(bservation) - If God was going to follow the same modus operandi today that He did 2000 years ago, I can picture God sending His angel army to migrant apple pickers, or Eastern Shore immigrant crab pickers or residents of one of the homeless shelters in Baltimore.  These are the kind of people to whom God chose to announce the birth of his Son.  The lowest of the lower class - shepherds or migrant workers - the first to see and worship the Baby - the ones chosen to announce his birth to the rest of humanity.  Migrant workers worshiping the Son of homeless peasant parents.  What does this teach us about God?  about ourselves?  

A(pplication) - If we're going to get in on the first wave of birth announcements, it might be good to hang out with the folk who will get the first word.  After all, this baby Jesus grew up and said, "Whatever you did for the least of these kin of mine - YOU'VE DONE FOR ME."  Awesomely, God hangs out with the poor.  We should to.  

P(rayer) - Abba,  how can we experience anything but shock and awe that You, creator of all the universe chooses the weak, and the foolish and the least on this planet to elevate and lift up and honor!?!  What an honor to be be among the first to worship You.  Abba, may I not be afraid to take my place among the homeless, the migrant workers, the marginalized in order to be first to worship You. Amen.