12-29-25 - How Did We Hear This Story?

You can listen to this reflection here. Today's gospel passage is here.

There are so many people to reflect on in our Christmas story. Today let's look at these shepherds, who felt compelled to check out the tale told them by the heavenly messengers that night of Jesus’ birth: So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

“When they saw this, they made known…and all who heard it were amazed...” Who wouldn’t be amazed! It’s a great story, even filtered through centuries and translations; imagine hearing it from an eyewitness. That’s most likely how the narratives of Jesus’ birth came into circulation among his early followers.

How did Luke, a Greek follower of Christ from Philippi (or so we surmise from his Acts of the Apostles), hear about those shepherds? Did Mary tell the tales later in life, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, living near Ephesus in what is now Turkey (as tradition maintains), in the care of the disciple John? Or did folks hear them from the shepherds themselves, and pass along the tale, one person to another, one town to the next, perhaps embellishing but getting the main details right?

How did Luke, a Greek follower of Christ from Philippi (or so we surmise from his Acts of the Apostles), hear about those shepherds? Did Mary tell the tales later in life, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, living near Ephesus in what is now Turkey, in the care of the disciple John? Or did folks hear them from the shepherds themselves, and pass along the tale, one person to another, one town to the next, perhaps embellishing but getting the main details right?

There are people who read about Jesus in the bible and in books and come to believe. But more often, faith is transmitted person to person, through stories of encounter. Our stories may not feel as dramatic as the one those shepherds must have told, but I bet each one of us has experienced God in some way that made a difference to us. Chances are our stories will make a difference to the people with whom we choose to share them. Reactions might vary, but at the least we will provide one more data point that one day might tip the scales toward faith. We can never know what will happen, only that our God-stories come with an imperative to be shared.

When have you most recently or most vividly encountered the presence or peace or power of God? Bring that to mind. Now, who might want to hear that story? Who might be amazed at what you make known to them of Jesus?

© Kate Heichler, 2025. To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Here are the bible readings for next Sunday. Water Daily is also a podcast – subscribe to it here on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.