Shepherds and Wise Men Both Made it to Bethlehem

Some people come to Jesus like the shepherds.

Out in the fields, minding their own business -- and kablammo!
Something big happens!

Angels show up!  a huge angel choir!  Glory to God in the highest!

Life change in a moment.

The shepherds drop everything and run to Bethlehem, where they find
teh Christ-child lying in a manger.

They rejoice, celebrate and end up broadcasting the good news
everywhere they go.  Glory!  Glory!  Hallelujah!

Others come to Jesus like the wise men.

They see a distant star in the east and are puzzled by its appearing.
"What does this mean?", they wonder.  After a long pondering, they
begin a long, winding journey of faith.

It takes them quite a while to figure things out -- with plenty of
detours along the way.  But, eventually, they, too, end up in
Bethlehem.

Departing, they did not cause a big scene like the shepherds --but had
the experience of inner transformation as well (though of the "still
waters" variety.)

I like the manger scenes where wise men and shepherds are all together
at the manger.

Though most Bible scholars say otherwise, as a hopeless romantic, I
imagine love to imagine it just like the Christmas cards.  I picture
them kneeling before Jesus side by side:  rich and poor, wise men and
shepherds, locals and tourists -- all worshiping Jesus together!  It's
would be just like God's timing to arrange it that way.

The important lesson here?  It doesn't matter whether you are a
shepherd or a wise man.  Shepherds aren't better because they dashed
dashed to Jesus.  Wise men aren't better because they took a longer,
thoughtful, more reflective route.

The only thing that matters is that they both ended up worshiping
Jesus in Bethlehem.