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” (Luke 2:8-10).

There isn’t a lot of holiday hustle and bustle in the traditional sense this year as Covid is keeping us close to home. There’s a lot of extra NOISE, though, isn’t there? Not noise in a literal sense; there won’t be any raucous Christmas parties this year, but there is plenty of emotional and mental noise to make up for that: Covid regulations; online shopping or masked in-person shopping; keeping the magic alive for the kids who are home 24/7; Zooming with extended family instead of hugging them in person; a vaccine? 

It’s a lot, y’all, and it can easily distract from what Christmas is really about (Christ is born!).

The census that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem was happening within the city, but the shepherds were outside the city the night Jesus was born. There was no noise in the fields to distract them when the angel appeared to share the good news of Jesus’ birth, there was just the straightforward job of tending the flock. Can you imagine sitting in a dark, open field, minding your sheep and your own business, when all of a sudden angels light up the sky with a message from heaven?

So what exactly were the angels saying?

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

The birth announcement brought by the angels wasn’t noise, but music: the most joyful music straight to our ears from heaven’s mouth. Instructions for terrified hearts: do not be afraid! There is good news for EVERYONE! The Savior came for one and all, and that is something to celebrate!

Perhaps someone inside the city walls would not have received the message as the shepherds did. There was no need for the angel to tap a busy shepherd’s shoulder and repeat himself. “Excuse me, sir. Did you hear what I just said? Ahem!” Without distractions the shepherds had no trouble hearing and appreciating the angel’s message of joy over the Savior’s birth. 

This year is not an anomaly in distractions from the true meaning of Christmas, but there’s certainly more emotional “noise” to these last days of 2020 than in a “normal” year. How are you responding to the message of joy during these extra “noisy” times? Find a quiet spot today and really listen to what He has to say to you during this season.