Supporting Cast

Mahatma Gandhi had a reputation to keep up.  He was a simple man who spun his own cloth.  But the problem is that he was also a world leader and a public figure.  So the challenge was to keep up his impoverished life style while still being able to do his work.  One of his assistants once commented that it cost them a fortune to keep Gandhi in poverty.  For every famous person or notable event, there is the supporting cast.  These are the unsung heroes that make it all possible, but rarely get attention.

When Apollo 11 went to the Moon there was a crew of three astronauts.  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin got to walk on the Moon, and they are household names, But what about the other guy?  Michael Collins was the pilot for the command module.  It stayed in orbit while the others landed on the Moon.  It would not have been possible, but few remember his contribution.  And that doesn't count the dozens back at mission control or the hundreds that had a role in building the rockets and space ships.  For every famous person or notable event, there is a supporting cast.

Sometimes, the supporting cast is more subtle.  In our town there are many Amish.  The Amish try to honor God by living a simple life.  But how complicated is this simplicity.  The stores sell goods made in factories, designed by engineers and transported by trucks.  Without this significant supporting cast, their simple life would be a lot different.

Which brings us to the Biblical shepherds in the hills near Bethlehem.  Their responsibilities with the sheep kept them from many of the religious practices of their day.  But without their efforts the others would not have had lambs for the sacrifice.  They are part of the supporting cast.  

But the birth of Christ was the time for the supporting cast to get a main role.  

Watch this clip from Pastor Chris.

The supporting cast, the shepherds came to proclaim, announce and reassure.  And although their role was to be in the background.  Through God they were good enough to be significant.  That can be true for any of us.  We are good enough to do the work of God if we follow His lead.