On the night of our Savior’s birth, shepherds came to praise the Christ Child. Then months, or perhaps as much as two years later, wise men from the east came bearing gifts; gifts fit for a king. But did you catch the subtle irony in comparing and contrasting these two visitations? We must keep in mind that these two visitations were the only recorded instances where mankind paid tribute to Christ, the newborn King. The first visitation represented the very dregs of Jewish society. While the second visitation was comprised of prestigious foreigners who might even have been royal potentates. And the account given by these shepherds prompted Mary “… to treasure up all these things; pondering them in her heart” [Luke 2:19].