Di Shepherd of Bethlehem

Darkness for di hills wey dey outside Bethlehem. Di sheep don gather together, dem dey cry. Something big dey move inside di bush. Lion don carry one small sheep. And one teenage shepherd, wey no hold anything pass stick and catapult, run follow am.

Samuel don anoint David, but e never be king. E still be Jesse last born, from Bethlehem for Judah, and im work na di sheep. Jesse don old now. Im three first sons, Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah, don follow King Saul go war. Di Philistines don gather dia army for di valley of Elah, about fifteen miles west of Bethlehem. Di two armies face each other across di valley. And every morning and every evening, for forty days, one giant Philistine soldier wey dem dey call Goliath dey waka comot dey shout challenge. Send one man make e come fight me. Nobody go.

David dey go and come between Saul camp and im papa sheep for Bethlehem. One day Jesse send am to carry something go. Take dis ephah of roasted grain and dis ten loaves go give your brothers, and hurry go di camp. Carry dis ten cheese go give dia commander. Check how your brothers dey, and bring message come back from dem. Very ordinary instruction. Papa wey dey worry about im sons, food wey dem pack, and message. So David wake up early, leave di sheep with somebody wey go look after dem, carry di load, and comot. E reach just as di army dey go out to dia battle line, dey shout war cry.

David hear Goliath challenge and see di soldiers dey run because of fear. Who be dis Philistine, e ask, wey go dey challenge di army of di living God? Im words reach King Saul, and dem bring David come im front. Make nobody heart fail, David talk. I go go fight am. Saul look di boy. You no fit. You be only small boy, and dis man don be soldier since e young. Then David tell di king about im everyday work. Your servant dey look after im papa sheep. And when lion or bear come carry one small sheep from di flock, I go follow am. I knock am and rescue di small sheep from im mouth. And when e turn face me, I hold am for im jaw, knock am and kill am.

David no boast say e strong. E talk who rescue am. Di Lord wey rescue me from di paw of di lion, and from di paw of di bear, na im go rescue me from di hand of dis Philistine. For di hills, where nobody dey watch, David don learn say God dey with am. Di lonely work wey no get shine, to protect sheep, don prepare am for dis day. And Saul talk, go, and make di Lord dey with you. You fit don know wetin happen next: five smooth stones, one catapult, and one giant wey fall. But e start with one shepherd wey ready to risk im life for one small sheep.

Lions and bears really dey threaten flocks for old Israel. Di law of Moses talk say if wild animal tear any animal wey shepherd dey look after, e suppose bring wetin remain as evidence. Di prophet Amos, wey imself be herdsman from near Bethlehem, describe one shepherd wey drag two legs or one piece of ear comot from lion mouth. Good shepherd dey fight for every animal, because na im go answer for each one.

You go find David story for First Samuel chapter seventeen. David, di shepherd of Bethlehem, become Israel shepherd king. And one thousand years after, for di same hills, shepherds hear say Saviour don born, wey go call imself di good shepherd wey lay down im life for di sheep. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which ordinary work you dey do now wey God fit dey use prepare you for something wey big pass?