“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
(Luke 2:14 NIV)
If you really think about it, the good news of the birth of the Saviour was shared with those who were underprivilleged. God chose to announce it to shepherds, “living out in the fields who were keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8), and not to the religious priests who were preaching laws and rules even they couldn’t keep. In fact, those who felt entitled in society because of their position and status were the last to find out about the Saviour’s birth. The Son of God left His throne in Heaven to be born in a manger and live an underprivilleged life Himself, being rejected by those who claimed to know God. The privilleged could never understand what Christmas was all about because they didn’t think they needed saving. As long as they went about their pretentious religious duties, they were good…in their own eyes, anyways.
But the underprivilleged, those who needed saving, understood the Christmas message. That is why God chose to tell them and direct them to the One who would become their ultimate Shepherd, guiding them to eternal life:
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them…The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (vv.15-18, 20)
God favours the underprivilleged because it is they that need Him most and He chooses to reveal His glory to them. And this is what caused the angels to erupt with praise, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Rising with the Son 