Lk 2:8-18 - And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
The shepherds experienced fear when they saw the angels. They were told "fear not" by the angels. And then they feared the angels and did not fear what society would think of them when they went and told the message to Mary and Joseph. Fear of God and no fear of man should be the norm in our lives. The shepherds who were the bottom rung of society were chosen to tell the greatest news ever. But, without a command to not fear God and an experience of fearing God, they wouldn’t have been the messenger. The more we fear God, the greater witness we will be. We need to grow in the fear of God by focusing on growing in the knowledge of the Holy one. The bigger he becomes, the the less about ourselves we will be.
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