So . . . who’s a Thomas?
Jesus’ disciple named Thomas is another one of those Bible characters we seem to feel we can kick around. Thomas has become famous, so famous in fact his honorific “Doubting” has moved into common speech with many people not knowing the label “a doubting Thomas” comes from the Gospel of John. The tradition I grew up in tended to put Thomas in the category of someone who should know better and who may have even been sinning when expressed his doubt to the rest of the disciples.
This is nonsense. What Thomas was doing is exactly what every one of us would do if we were told a dead person had come back from the dead; we would want proof. Thomas is less a picture of someone lacking faith and more a person who needs to be convinced.
This week I wanted us to take seriously what it means to doubt but to do so from the perspective that the opposite of faith is not doubt, the opposite of faith is certainty. What do we do with the things we are uncertain about? What do we do with our concerns about other people’s needs? How do we live out our identity as one of the people Jesus refers to when he says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20:29b NRSV)
We are back to two sermons this week so give one or both of them a listen and let me know what you think. I assure you I am always interested in hearing from you.
Blessings,
