And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.” Luke 2:16–18
This Christmas present was so different. The problem with toys and most things we look to for hope and joy is a case of diminishing returns. With both toys and things we look to for hope and joy, we find that the more we go back to that thing or think on that thing, the less joy it brings.
But the first Christmas gift is a different sort of gift altogether. The shepherds show us that encountering Jesus is a different sort of experience. It had such an impact on the shepherds that they had to spread the word after they had seen Him. This was a lasting hope and joy that they could not contain.
Joy begins for us in the same way it began for the shepherds. It begins with meeting Jesus. Very few things last forever. An encounter with Jesus, however, remains and grows through all eternity. Meeting Jesus never stops impacting, shaping, and transforming our lives! It never stops giving us hope and opportunities for joy.