The first who came to pay their homage to the new-born King were the shepherds, who were watching in the fields of Bethlehem, and to whom an Angel had announced the birth of Christ the Lord. They received this honor because:

They were poor, and therefore were well suited to gather round the King who came to live in poverty on earth. The Eternal Father chose poverty for His well-beloved Son, and therefore poverty must be better than riches. The poor are to be envied rather than pitied, so long as their poverty is not due to their own sin or folly. How many, who have saved their souls in poverty, would have lost them, if they had been rich! Hence, if you are poor, do not regret your poverty, but rather rejoice in it.

They were simple of heart, untainted by the world's deceit. None but good, simple men would have thus come in the darkness of the night to the stable of Bethlehem, to find their Savior and their King. God loves simplicity. "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome," says our Lord; and He thereby describes the happy lot ot those whose one aim is to do their work with simplicity for God alone? Is this my spirit?

They were shepherds. The occupation is one which God seems to love. The man after God's own heart was a shepherd. Our Lord calls Himself the Good Shepherd. Every Christian is a shepherd, in that some sheep or lambs are committed to his care. Am I a zealous shepherd of the sheep of Christ?