I am not at all sure when you thought about that last. They certainly
have a security role: bears, lions, coyotes -ask David, that is what he told Saul.
They also have a healthcare role: checking feet, mouths, eyes etc.
They may also have a role of community building: making the lambs secure
in the dark nights, after the loss of a ewe.
But I wonder if the shepherds were surprised when they became the recipients of
good news, the arrival of a Messiah. None of them are recorded as responding, "do you
have the right address?"
What surprise does God have for us in the church, in our homes, in our hearts?
will you check the address to make sure the surprise was meant for you?