My favorite disciple of Jesus is Thomas. His story is often told as an admonition for people to stop doubting and just believe.
But I see Thomas as a human being to be admired. A practical man who made decisions based not on what he has heard but what he has seen.
We know the story. The resurrected Jesus visits his disciples in the absence of Thomas. When Thomas later joins his comrades, they tell him that their master who had died was alive and had paid them a courtesy call.
Thomas thought his friends were hallucinating. His comrades had gone through a lot of stress because of the persecution and death of their master and it was possible they were seeing their own things.
So, he told them he will believe that Jesus is alive, only when he feels the marks of nails on his hands and the pierced rib.
You see, in the town where Thomas lived, people did not die and resurrect every other day. So, it made perfect sense for him to doubt the resurrection story.
This was not the first time Thomas was questioning things.
Elsewhere in the bible, Jesus was telling his disciples that he was going somewhere and that “You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Thomas, in his incredulous fashion, asked Jesus, “we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way”
Thomas’ question evoked one of the most important statements made by Jesus. “I am the way, the truth and the life”.
Thomas is what I would call an evidence-based practitioner.
He was not the guy to join the masses. He was not the guy to nod his head and agree to things that he does not understand.
Many followers of Jesus call themselves sheep. But Thomas was not one.
And because he asked for evidence. Jesus had to show up specifically to prove to him that indeed he was alive.
Because he questioned. Jesus had to tell him who he truly was.
But Society tells us to just believe because they say so.
From school, religion and the media, we are sold many narratives about life.
But only those who doubt, will be provided with evidence.
Only those who question, will be told the truth.
And we know what the truth does.
Life is life
Fabio