Shades of Grace

Most of us have heard of Jesus' disciple named Thomas. He is traditionally known in many westernized Christian circles as the one disciple that doubted Jesus' resurrection. Our overall opinion of him is... well..., negative. Even his name is seen in a negative light - Thomas the doubter. I have literally heard whole sermons preached on Thomas and doctrines created and hailed as the true spiritual meaning of his name.

One such doctrine called Thomas "two-faced" and "double-minded" because the literal meaning of the name is double or twin. This preacher butchered Thomas' name and character and made Jesus seem absolutely dreadful. I mean... who wants a master or leader who recognizes one of their struggles in one of the most vulnerable times in their life to consider it a weakness and berate them for it? That's right - absolutely no one!

But in this teaching, that's exactly how he made it sound. One would picture Jesus walking up to a man who had deeply loved him and faithfully served him for at least three years and saying, "Here, go ahead and jam your fingers in me and shove your hand in my side since you're just such a wimp and can't believe in me, you doubter! You aught to have some faith, Wuss! You should have believed in me regardless of what you see. Don't you know we walk by faith and not by sight? Gosh!!"

But that couldn't be farther from the truth! Jesus never, not even for one split second, saw Thomas in that light. He never got angry at him for "unbelief" nor scolded him for needing proof of his resurrection. He knew that Thomas was in a rough spot and needed tenderness and kindness. For goodness' sake, he had just seen the man that he had spent the last few years of his life following brutally beaten and murdered! Grace is what he needed, and that is exactly what the Lord gave him.

If you have ever been on the receiving end of a similarly unsettling sermon or have ever been made to believe that Thomas was the disciple that disappointed Jesus' great expectations, please, allow me to repaint the story for you the way it is actually relayed in scripture. First of all, let's get this straight: Thomas was not the only disciple who doubted. ALL the disciples doubted!

Although Jesus had told them of his death and resurrection on several occasions and had explained it to them even to the point of revealing who would betray him and the timeframe, they still didn't believe him. Jesus was not angry with them for it. I mean, they had just watched the man get slaughtered! No, he understood their humanity and came to them. When he missed Thomas, he came back to be sure he received the evidence he needed to strengthen his faith.

Think about it: The other disciples were just as astonished as Thomas. When Mary Magdalene told them that she had seen Jesus alive, they did not believe. (Mark 16:11) Two of his followers had seen him while journeying to a neighboring village by the name of Emmaus. Not only did they not believe he had risen, they had a whole conversation with him and did not recognize him as he re-explained the events of his death to them. It was not until he blessed and broke bread with them that they noticed who he was. (Luke 24:13-31) When they told it to the disciples, they did not believe them either. (Mark 16:12-13) None of them believed!!

Even then he was never upset with them. No, he came to them and talked with them. No doubt, he knew Thomas' struggle. He could feel his grief. He wanted to hold him, not reprimand him. He was there to uplift him, not crush him. Jesus loves us, and he loved Thomas. Ever since he revealed the heart of this story to me in my Bible time years ago, I have absolutely admired Thomas. I just relish in the idea that God will show himself to us when we're in need rather than trying to make us blindly believe without proof of his love. Thomas is one of our examples of the graciousness of God.

God's grace is sufficient for us, and no, we do not have to deserve it. He thinks we are worthy anyway. Why else would he send his Son into such a wicked world to die a sinner's death? (God obviously didn't care about Jesus potentially sullying his reputation.) I have heard pastors and televangelists teach that God sent Jesus to show us how rotten we were and that we were in dire need of a savior, but that is not at all what the Bible teaches. John 3:17 says that God didn't send Jesus to condemn us but to give us life. Jesus is not the family favorite who gets all the privileges while we get the crumbs cast at us with an upturned nose. According to scripture, we have been made equal with Jesus as joint-heirs. (Romans 8:16-17)

God knows our frailty and chooses to love and coddle us regardless. He won't leave us out in the world naked and starved with no home. He takes us in, shelters us, feeds us, and protects us. He offers his mercy and kindness to us. He gives us his comfort and assurance in our time of need and his affection and care in our distress. God provides layer upon layer, wave after wave, innumerable shades of grace.