Different groups were prepared for and reacted differently to the advent. Simeon had waited for this blessing his entire life. The wise men responded to the signs given in heaven. The shepherds had no warning and received the message first in fear, but then made haste to see the child. Simeon patiently waited. The wise men studied it out and acted deliberately and methodically. The shepherds responded immediately and then testified to all of what they had witnessed.
The account of the star of Bethlehem has always been problematic, but a careful reading suggests a different story than the traditional "guiding star." Perhaps the following is a more accurate interpretation. The wise men saw the star while they were in "the east." (They could not have followed a star appearing in the east, because that would have put them in the Mediterranean sea.) They saw the star as a sign the Savior had been born and traveled to Jerusalem seeking the child. After meeting with Herod, they learned from the scribes that the prophecy was that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem. This could have been as much as two years from the time the Savior had been born and the time the new star first appeared (as confirmed by the Book of Mormon account). As they traveled to Bethlehem, the star re-appeared, which the wise men rejoiced over and took as a confirmation that they were correct to seek the Savior in Bethlehem. By then, Mary and Joseph were in "a house," where the wise men were able to seek them out and offer their gifts. Gifts which may have helped cover the cost of the family's flight into Egypt.
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