Joy is always a surprising gift.

I still remember my late mother singing from the top of her operatic lungs, “The joy of the Lord is my strength…” Her crippling arthritis could not quench her joy. I was often surprised by how much my mother’s joy gave her strength and energy to face the day.

Joy is not solely a Christian reality. After all, Rolling Stones’ lead singer Mick Jagger wrote a song titled “Joy,” which he recorded with U2 front man Bono. The song is invigorating and surprising. Jagger sings of going into the desert searching for the Buddha. Instead, he sees Jesus Christ.

How surprising it must have been for those shepherds that first Christmas when the angel appeared. No doubt, the angel extinguished their fear with the joyous news of Jesus’ birth: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord,” (Luke 2:8-11; NIV).

This account is surprising for many reasons. First, angels always show up when least expected. Second, the angels announce that the long-awaited Messiah was lying in a manger in the little town of Bethlehem. And third, the angels appeared to lowly shepherds.

Shepherds were near the bottom of society’s barrel, but close to God’s heart. Mary puts God’s disposition well when rejoicing in the angel’s announcement that she would be the Messiah’s mother: “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble” (Luke 1:47-48a, 52; NIV).

God’s gift of joy to people of all walks of life humbles and comforts me. Even so, I’m still surprised in those moments when I experience joy at my brain-damaged son Christopher’s bedside. But why should I be so surprised that I’m surprised with joy as I gaze on his face? After all, Christopher means “bearer of Christ”?

From the opposite end of the cultural spectrum, Oxbridge scholar C.S. Lewis unexpectedly found joy in the least likely place. He realized joy was not in one’s power. One cannot conjure it up, no matter how smart. Lewis was later “surprised by joy” when as an atheist he surrendered his life to Jesus after God’s relentless pursuit.

I pray that each of us experiences joy in the least likely of places and as we look into the least likely of faces this Christmas. May God surprise you!