For Christmas 2021, I wrote this trio of scenes focusing on the shepherds who were some of the first people ever to meet Jesus. I'm thankful to have worked with the talented team that put it all together! For those interested, the full script can be found below.
Jethro played by Jeffrey Thomas
Abigail played by Alisa Lewis
Shot & Edited by Jared Malcolm
The subtitle “Jethro” appears on the screen over the first few lines of dialogue, then fades.
Jethro: (chuckling to himself) We honestly thought the angels would be the craziest part of the night. I mean, shepherds don’t get a lot of visitors to begin with. There’s always been a stigma around it. You know every family always sends their youngest son to do it, and then that son always prays for a younger son to come replace him as soon as possible. To get roped into doing it professionally – (briefly ponders his own fate) – well, you’re no tax collector, but you’re not much higher on the social ladder.
(getting back on track) So I got stuck on the night shift with a few of the others, which is bad enough on its own any other night. But because of the census, people were coming to Bethlehem from all over. When this many people are passing through, the risk of sheep thieves goes way up. So we couldn’t even afford to take turns that night – we had to have all eyes up, all night long. (remembering the exhaustion as though it has suddenly returned) And I was stationed next to Thaddeus, of all people.
We were about four hours into our shift when it happened. And look, if I had been the only one to see it, I probably wouldn’t be talking about it now. But all of a sudden, there was this flash of white light – (trying frustratedly to describe it) – like lightning, but it wouldn’t go away. I couldn’t see anything at first; that’s how bright it was. It was like walking out of a cave into broad daylight – and man, I was scared. Storms’ll spook sheep like nothing else. But my eyes started adjusting, and the sheep…they weren’t making a sound. Let me tell you, nothing will unsettle you like silent sheep after something like that.
And then there was this – (struggling to find the words) – he wasn’t a man, he was more than that, I think. (laughs) I thought it was the end of the world. But then he – the visitor – started talking. There was something so familiar – and yet completely foreign – about his voice, and do you know what the first thing he said was? “Do not be afraid”.
And that’s kind of a bold thing to kick things off with, right? ‘Do not be afraid’. We’re literally some of the most vulnerable people in the country. You don’t get educated people becoming shepherds. (suddenly feeling exposed; embarrassed) You get desperate people. You get people with nowhere else to go. (growing sarcastic) And if you don’t agree to fighting off lions with a stick, someone else will do it for cheaper than you. Whatever this guy wanted – (interrupting himself) and it almost certainly wasn’t good, whatever it was – (interrupting himself again) I mean, who ever heard of a shepherd getting good news?
The subtitle “Abigail” appears on the screen over the first few lines of dialogue, then fades.
Abigail: (remembering)This angel appears – (interrupting herself) that’s what the others called it: ‘an angel’ – (coming back to where she started) – and it says to us, “Do not be afraid. I’ve got good news that will bring to joy to everyone.” I look over at Jethro, (smirking) because I think if anyone is going to say something, it’s going to be him, right? But Jethro turns out just as speechless as the rest of us. (knowing grin) He probably isn’t mentioning that when he tells the story. (getting back on track) There’s something about the gaze of the angel that’s really – (searches for the word) intimidating, I guess. So I start to take a few steps back behind Jethro and some of the others. But the angel looks right at me, and he says,
“Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born.”
I can’t remember how long that look in my direction lasted. But it was long enough to show me that he knew I was there, which meant I was a recipient of the message the same as the rest of them. If I can be honest, I still have a really hard time understanding that. It’s bad enough being in the shepherding business this far from Jerusalem. But ever since Claudia left last season, I’m the only woman left now in the company. It’s – (struggling to describe the experience) – well, you get it. It’s not great.
These days, it’s a lot like going to the temple, actually. (casually) Have you ever been? (reminiscing) Oh, it’s beautiful. At least, the parts I’ve seen are. A few of us went together last year. But they don’t let Gentile women (explaining the word) – non-Jews – past the second gate. That’s how it’s always been. Gentiles like me can come to the outer court of the temple, but no further. Jews actually get to go through that second gate, but they still have a part of the court that only the men are allowed to enter. Priests have a court inside of that, and even if you’re a priest, only one of them gets to go into the ‘Holy of Holies’ – where God is, I guess. I always used to wonder what it would be like to be one of those priests standing there in the very place where God’s presence is.
That’s what I still don’t understand about the angel. He tells us that the Messiah is here – and I’ve lived around Jews long enough to understand how big a deal that is. And then he tells us where to find the baby. Us. Shepherds. And I wasn’t even the only Gentile. It was like all the gates to the temple had suddenly been opened – like, all of a sudden, I had the chance to stand where only a handful of people in history have ever stood. I half expected the others to tell me to hang back while they went on ahead. But I guess we were all just so excited that we didn’t stop to think about who should be first in line. Well, apart from Thaddeus – he went last for sure. But I just don’t get why we got to see that. I mean, he tells us where to find the baby, and then in a flash he’s surrounded by hundreds of angels, and they’re making this music that I still dream about all the time. If anyone was meant to see that – it would be a priest, or an emperor – not us. Certainly not me.
The subtitle “Thaddeus” appears on the screen over the first few lines of dialogue, then fades. As different characters speak, the shot changes so that each character is on their own.
Thaddeus: I was the last one to get inside the building with the others that night. I’m used to it, honestly. I’m a Samaritan. I’m not really welcome much of anywhere, which is how I ended up in the sheep business. A lot of Jews hate us because they think we’re not Jewish enough. A lot of Gentiles hate us because we’re too much like the Jews. I can keep a pretty low profile working sheep. The other shepherds know where I’m from, but they’re kind enough – just enough - not to mention it too much. Really, there’s no forgetting where I’m from. I mean, when the others took a trip to the temple in Jerusalem, I knew I wouldn’t have been allowed to come. There’s a kind of exclusion that isn’t always spoken as much as it’s felt – though I definitely get both.
Jethro: But like I said, the craziest part of the night wasn’t the angels. It was the baby. We all clambered around the entrance, and there he was. Just like they’d said.
Abigail: He was so small. I spoke with his mother as much as I could, and I felt horrible that she’d had to have this baby in such an unfamiliar place. I probably shouldn’t have asked so many questions, but she was so patient. She treated us like (chuckling at the ridiculousness of the idea) we were supposed to be there.
Thaddeus: I didn’t say anything. I just looked over the other’s shoulders and watched the little guy blinking and turning his head.
Jethro: The father looked so relieved, which is not what I would’ve expected at all given the circumstances. But there was this look of peace that he had – like all was well in spite of everything.
Abigail: I couldn’t believe that I got to see it all. It was one of the most beautiful moments I’d ever seen – and of course that’s partly because the angels had told us about it – but it was also because you had this tiny little family who had done something miraculous when it seemed nothing was going their way. Even when they thought no one was looking out for them – it turned out that someone was.
Thaddeus: It might not sound like much, getting to stand in that room for a few minutes and having to look over the other shepherd’s shoulders. But honestly, it was the first time in a long time that I had really felt like I was welcomed somewhere. And not just welcomed – invited. I was invited to be a part of this. We all were. Even though we’re never invited to anything. I don’t know – I don’t know how that baby is going to save us all from the Romans, but just those few minutes with him made me feel like maybe God sees me after all. Even though I’m…even though I’m me.