“Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me’.” John 20:29
It’s interesting how people can permanently label you just simply based on a past failure or mistake. Such is the case with Thomas, as many in the church world today still refer to him as “Doubting Thomas.” Yes, Thomas did doubt, and it would have been better if he, by the testimony of others, had just believed. But the good news is he became a very strong believer. And that was made possible all because Jesus Himself made a special visit back to the disciples, in the very place where they were gathered, just to see Thomas. Why would Jesus go out of His way to do such a thing? Because Jesus loved Thomas so very much, even in spite of his doubts.
If we’re honest, many of us can relate to Thomas as we’ve had our own doubts from time to time. We’ve all had moments when doubts and fear filled our hearts and minds, and we’ve wondered if Jesus would show up this time, in this circumstance, as He had before. And praise be to God! He always has, and He always will! No, He may not always show up in the way or in the time we would like. But thank God He shows up just when we need Him the most and brings comfort to our hearts and minds, with solutions and answers to meet our needs.
We may still call him “Doubting Thomas,” but did you know that the most popular first and last name among Christians in India today is Thomas? That’s all because Thomas took the Good News to that very region of the globe and, because of it, he is a household name to this very day – all made possible because Jesus came back just for Thomas. Certainly, without a doubt, Thomas got better at believing God and became a powerhouse of an Apostles because Jesus was willing to meet him right where he was.
Today, Jesus is still just as willing to go out of His way to calm our fears and answer our doubts. And from these personal encounters, we can be bold proclaimers of the Good News too.