One night a family with multiple children was noisily chattering away at the dinner table when the youngest, a 4-year-old, stood up on his chair and shouted, "Pass the butter!" His parents sat in stunned silence for a moment and then sent the young, ill-mannered child to his room.
    The father of the family later told his noisy bunch that he had sound recorded the evening meal. On playback a quiet voice was heard asking, "Please pass the butter." A few moments later the voice called out a little louder, "Could someone PLEASE pass the butter." A few moments later there was the thundering shout everyone remembered from the meal, "Pass the butter!"
    Often it isn't that God didn't tell us something, it is that we weren't listening. Maybe there was too much noise and activity to recognize the still small voice of God speaking to our hearts.
    The story of the angelic visit to the Bethlehem Shepherds bids us consider why they were chosen to hear the announcement of the Savior's birth. Could it be at least in part that they would listen? The shepherds led a quiet life; being around sheep required peaceful conduct. The shepherds' lives were not cluttered with "a thousand things to do." They were hushed enough to hear the angels and hushed enough to visit a newborn baby. Are you?
    Can you hear the Lord's voice over the noise of this Christmas? Take some time to hush your heart, turn off the TV and radio, go to a quiet place and listen for the Lord's voice.

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All Scripture references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.

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