Why the Shepherds Moved – and Why We Should Too
One of the most striking features of the Christmas story is who receives the good news – and how they respond to it. After Zechariah, the next people to hear the announcement of Jesus’ birth are shepherds, working the night shift, living on the margins of society.
When the angel appears to them, the message is clear and world-changing: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” A Saviour has been born. The Messiah has arrived.
What’s remarkable is not just the message, but the response.
The shepherds don’t analyse it to death. They don’t debate the logistics or dwell on their limitations. They don’t allow fear or comfort to keep them where they are. Instead, they move. “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.” And they hurry.
Good news doesn’t just inform them – it mobilises them.
This is the heart of the phrase “good news moves”. The shepherds are open, responsive and willing to shift their position. They leave their fields, step into the unknown and engage with the joy of what God is doing. When they see Jesus, they don’t keep the experience to themselves. They spread the word, and everyone who hears is amazed.
Contrast this with how easy it is for us to remain static. We can become settled by our routines, shaped by past disappointments or distracted by careers, responsibilities and comfort. Slowly, without realising it, we stop moving when God invites us to.
Yet God is still looking for people who are open to His leading. People willing to take a step, change direction or say yes, even when it feels inconvenient or uncertain. The Christmas story reminds us that movement often follows openness.
So what might that look like this Christmas?
It could be recognising your need for Christ and accepting the good news for yourself. It might mean reaching out to someone you’ve been distant from, or choosing joy when family conversations are uncomfortable. Perhaps it’s checking in on a neighbour, or carving out time to be still with God and say, “I’m open. Lead me.”
The shepherds didn’t have status, influence or perfect understanding – just willingness. And that was enough.
Our lives are full of competing news feeds, but the one God offers is richer, deeper and far more transformative. It’s not just something to scroll past or “like”. It’s an invitation to move.
Because then, as now, good news moves – and it changes the lives of those who move with it.
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