Thinking about the shepherds tonight...

Fear Not, said the angels to the shepherds, the rough and tough cowboys of their day.

When an angel appears to give a message in scripture, the recipient falls over in fear. A lot. They seem to always have to start with Fear Not.

How many of us have an understanding of The Story of the Biblical Narrative where this fits in? Where the weight of reality when revealed, even a little, strikes fear into the strongest and boldest?