Читать книгу Raising a Smile for Northern Ireland Children's Hospice - Brian Boone's Bailie - Страница 30

T'was a night like any other

Two thousand years ago,

There wasn't any Santa,

Nor reindeer, elves or snow.

The people weren't excited

Nor expecting any gifts.

They went to bed quite early

Except those on night shifts.

They were men like any other,

The lowest of the low,

Who stood upon the hilltop

With the city down below.

Another night of watching sheep

For barely any pay,

Nothing to look forward to,

T'was just another day.

One shepherd there had wife and kids,

That he couldn't clothe or feed,

He was a fine example

Of a family man in need.

The widowed shepherd was alone,

He felt he couldn't cope.

He was a fine example

Of a man who hadn't hope.

This old man was bitter;

He'd had a rough childhood.

He was a fine example

Of a man who knew no good

The youngest shepherd was a thief,

Who stole to stay alive.

He wouldn't do it if he'd had

Enough food to survive

They all felt unimportant,

Criminal and poor,

In those days shepherds just like them

Were treated like manure.

T'was a night like any other,

Until that piercing light!

That lit up half the countryside

And filled the men with fright!

“Have no fear, I bring good news!”

They heard the angel say,

“The Saviour of the human race

Has come to town today!”

“You'll find him in a stable,

Lying in a trough,

Beside the goats and donkeys,

Wrapped up in swaddling cloth!”

“Glory to God in the Highest!

Peace on Earth to men!

The King of kings, the Son of God

Is here in Bethlehem!”

Then just as quickly as they'd come

The angels disappeared.

The shepherds gawked dumbfounded,

Thinking, “That sure was weird...”

They looked at one another,

With the same thing in mind.

Throwing down their rods and staffs

They left the flock behind.

They sprinted quickly through the town,

As fast as they were able,

Until they found the Chosen One

Lying in a stable.

The Messiah, Jesus Christ was found,

As prophecy foretold,

In a shed in Bethlehem

At just a few hours old.

The shepherds quickly realised

This boy, their God, their king,

Were, in fact, not different,

But were all the same thing.

The rulers and the noblemen,

That night, were sound asleep,

While the Son of God was cradled

By men who tended sheep.

T'was to men like any other

The Lord made his debut.

He changed the shepherds' lives that night

And He can change yours too.

You might think that sounds odd,

But it's for folk like you and I,

That Jesus Christ came down to earth

To teach and love...and die.

T'was the greatest night in history,

The only time that's greater

Was when Jesus died and rose again,

Thirty-three years later.