Doubting Thomas

Photo: @thoughtful_camera

The first Sunday of Easter always has the story of Doubting Thomas. (John 20:19-31)You know the one. Thomas comes in, having totally missed Jesus' appearance to everyone else. Pretty sure that they are messing with him or that they are just messed up, he refuses to believe that Jesus came back until he touches the wounds with his own hands.

Wouldn't you know, Jesus comes back the next week and takes him up on the offer?

Lesson 1: Never demand something that you don't actually want to do.

Of course, Thomas immediately proclaims, "My Lord and my God!" No touching required.

Lesson 2: Sometimes the proof you think you need isn't actually what you need.

The funny thing is that Thomas isn't any different from the other disciples. They didn't believe the women who said they had seen Jesus. A couple of them even left and headed out to Emmaus. His words, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed," aren't just for Thomas but for all of them.

More than that, it's been a week since they saw Jesus, and the doors are still locked. Why would Thomas believe them if what they saw didn't change anything? Why should he?

Lesson 3: Saying you believe in Jesus means very little if your life doesn't reflect the meaning of that belief.

I think the last verse of this Sunday's Gospel sums it all up pretty well:

But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you might have life in his name. (John 20:31) (emphasis mine)

Do you believe? Has it changed your life? Does anyone around you know?

Go.

Live your faith.

If the disciples are any indication, doing so can change the world.