Living Out Truth in Faith

This powerful exploration of the Christmas story challenges us to examine the crucial difference between knowing truth and living truth. Through the contrasting examples of King Herod, Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds, we discover that truth isn't merely intellectual assent—it's an active, faith-filled response to God's revelation. Herod represents the tragic path of someone who has swallowed lies and lives enslaved to selfishness and fear, making predictable, destructive choices. Zechariah, though religious and in the right place, struggles with fear and doubt, seeing by sight rather than faith when confronted with God's miraculous promise. Mary, however, embodies humble obedience, asking not "how will I know this?" but "how will this be?"—seeking understanding rather than proof. The shepherds demonstrate immediate, action-oriented faith, leaving their flocks to witness what God has revealed and then becoming witnesses themselves. The recurring angelic command "do not be afraid" reminds us that fear is Satan's paralyzing grip that keeps us from living out the truth God has called us to embody. We're challenged to recognize that we're not called to be nouns—static believers—but verbs, actively living out our faith before a watching world.