Not to Scold, but to ...

But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. Luke 2:10 (NLT)

Some people are so afraid of God they get nervous just talking about him. You know why? They feel guilty, and then they start thinking, “If I get close to God, he’s going to lecture me. He’s going to remind me of all the things I’ve done wrong, and then I’ll feel even worse!”

Nothing could be further from the Truth. Jesus said, “I did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” In effect, Jesus is saying, “I didn’t come to scold you, I came to save you.”

Jesus came to save us, not to scare us. That’s why when the angel was telling the shepherds about the birth of Jesus, the first thing he says is: “Don’t be afraid!”

In fact, God's messages to people are often prefaced with the words : “Don’t be afraid.” There are 365 messages from God in the Bible that begin with the phrase, “Fear not!” Which means that for every single day of the year you have God's word that says , “You don’t need to be afraid. I am for you; I am with you; I love you.”

Any better reason to celebrate the birth of Christ within us?