The Second Shepherd's Play

One of the key themes of the play is the importance of Christian charity, and the ability to show love and generosity toward others in the way that God shows love toward humanity. Despite their poverty, the three shepherds–Col, Gib, and Dave–recognize the importance of Christian values and show themselves capable of performing charitable acts. After they are unable to find the missing sheep, the shepherds show their generosity by returning to Mak’s cottage to offer his new baby a gift, even though they barely have money themselves. When they discover that Mak has tricked them, Col persuades the others to forgive the thief and let him off lightly, instead of pursuing the death penalty.

This decision to love and forgive their neighbor despite the wrong he has done them is rewarded when the Angel appears to them and directs them to visit the Christ-Child in Bethlehem. The shepherds once again demonstrate their sense of charity when they each present a gift to the newborn baby, even though they are poor and can barely provide for themselves. The fact that the shepherds recognize the value of charity shows that they are already modeling the values that will be taught by Christ during his time on earth.