Keeping it to yourself?

Luke 2:15-20 NKJV

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." [16] And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. [17] Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. [18] And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. [19] But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. [20] Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Two responses we see in this passage to Jesus' birth.

Interestingly, the angels appeared not to the Sanhedrin or royalty, but to shepherds sleeping rough in the fields.

The shepherds went to see what had been told to them. When they found it to be true, they spread the news "widely".

They were the first "missionaries"!

We're told that folk marvelled at what they said.

However, did they marvel enough to find out for themselves?

We're not told that Mary and Joseph were inundated with visitors, meaning that mainly the people were too busy with their lives to bother about the Saviour of the World.

How like today when Christmas is all Santa, elves and reindeers!

There's still no room for Jesus at the Inn!

Then there's Mary, after all she's been through, having a Baby, without a midwife or sterile hospital surroundings, followed by a load of rough shepherds suddenly arriving on the scene with a story of angel visitations!

Her weary soul was swamped with the responsibility of raising the Messiah, so she kept it all in her heart.

This is a good spiritual exercise for us too - mull over God's Word - look at the Prophecies and the details involved - take them to heart, store them away to be used as events unfold.

There's a time to be quiet and a time to share the gospel.