My pastor’s insight on Thomas made me think. He suggested that the issue involved trust.

     Though Thomas surely was informed and invited to that first gathering where Jesus appeared to the disciples, he was absent. Pastor suggested Thomas possibly felt left out.

Yet Thomas had his chance. The initial group saw Jesus in His resurrected body. Had he been there, Thomas could have seen Jesus then. I would blame myself for not being there rather than feel left out.

But if he did feel left out, perhaps he was focusing on Jesus’s appearance to Peter on his own, and the other two men on the Emmaus Walk, Cleopas the uncle of Jesus and another man. Perhaps he wished to have such a one-on-one encounter for himself. That’s possible.

     Something in his heart was closed. Look how he refuses to accept the witness of his colleagues. What a slap in their faces. I think I’d believe my other believing friends. Why didn’t Thomas believe them?

He said he wanted to see Jesus for himself.  This sounds a bit demanding. Without proof, he refused to believe them. Pastor called this core concept an absence of trust.  Thomas was relying only on what was visible. Relying on our eyes is verifying, but not trusting. There are times for both but if we rely on only one, our beliefs are skewed.

How wise of God to propose a method for learning how to walk built on trust. If we’re blind or blindfolded, we must reach out to a seeing person or tool or radar to guide us. God wants us to prefer to Him.

     I’ve always wondered why the days after Jesus’s resurrection are scant in detail. I have a hunch God did this so trust would kick in. Jesus was there and yes, He made appearances, but was He with the disciples every day? The Bible doesn’t make this clear.

     At the next gathering, Jesus invites Thomas to touch Him—that is, stop doubting and believe. Later, Jesus tells him, “Thomas you believe now because you see me. Blessed are those who do NOT see, and yet believe. “

Thank you, Father, for singling out Thomas to meet him where he was and show that we’re not rescued by sight but by putting our trust in You.