Christmas

Go and tell...

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. Luke 2: 8-9

Terror. Awe. Are they the same? I’ve read commentaries that say the shepherds were in awe when the angel appeared and that being terrified and being in awe are similar. I’m not sure I agree. Awe is reverence. Awe is worship. Awe is respect. Terror is something else entirely. If I had been out in the middle of a field with nothing but a bunch of sheep and a bright light popped out of nowhere, my initial reaction would likely be terror. As a shepherd my next reaction would be concern for the sheep in my care. Were the sheep frightened by the light? The bible doesn’t say, but my thought is they would be a bellwether for the shepherds. If sheep – notoriously skittish animals – didn’t run madly away, perhaps this light was something wondrous rather than something fearful. And then the shepherds got the word. An angel shared with these lowly men of the field that something wonderful was happening in Bethlehem. A heavenly host appeared praising God, bringing light into the darkness. The shepherds felt compelled to go to Bethlehem and see for themselves. Afterwards they shared the good news, a message we continue to celebrate. It is a story worth telling.

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