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Thomas of Missouri John 20:19 – 31; Acts 2:14a, 22 – 32 Willard Duncan Vandiver served in the United States House of Representatives from 1897 to 1903 as a Missouri Congressman. He served on the House Committee for Naval Affairs and in 1899 attended a naval banquet in Philadelphia. In a speech there, he declared, “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.” (Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1979-1980, page 1486.) It is uncertain if he coined the phrase, but needless to say, he popularized the saying. It is NOT an official slogan for us, but as we all know is used on our license plates and commonly understood as our label we are the SHOW ME STATE. Twenty-five years ago I read a formative book for my ministry and me. It had nothing to do with faith and everything to do with theology. Please Understand Me: Character Temperament and Types, by David Kiersey and Marilyn Bates (Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Book Company, 1978) opened my eyes to the incredible array of personality types. Kiersey and Bates used the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to help their readers come to grips with how people are fundamentally different in the way in which they perceive the world, interact with the world, need closure and completeness or are able to flow with chaos. The book and subsequent work I did with the personality indicator (as many of you have done) not only helped me to accept the way I act, react, do or do not respond but also to quit being so irritated with folks who act, react, do or do not respond so differently from me. In fact, when I discovered and accepted my own personality, it was clear why I always had people in my life who were diametrically opposed to my personality type. I intuitively knew I needed their complement. Today, years and years after this initial discovery, I still know that I walk through lots of gray-zone before making decisions. And, if something needs to happen more quickly, I call trusted friends (who know me intimately) who can quickly identify and point me to the light so a decision can be made. Those friends are mostly tactile people. They know and believe in hard evidence. They weary of spinning a long story, and have little discipline in sitting in meditation for an hour. They are energetic, passionate, quick-tongued, good-spirited — and the travel length between brain and tongue…a split second. I quit lusting after their personality type when I realized I could never change mine and now just keep their phone numbers close by. Those friends could claim Missouri as their home — even though I am the one now living here! Thomas, Jesus’ disciple, is a wonderful caricature for us to study so that we can understand how different people respond in faith. Thomas has been maligned through the ages, and we still use the phrase “Doubting Thomas” in a disparaging way. But there are any number of Thomases who are outstanding leaders in faith communities (some right here), and I would have one by my side any day. But let’s look into this Gospel story John has written for us today. On the evening of the resurrection, the disciples (and we have to assume all the disciple except Thomas and of course, Judas) were gathered together. We were celebrating last Sunday afternoon and evening, weren’t we? After receiving the news of the resurrection and worshipping together in glorious celebrations, most of us were fairly high — tired, perhaps, but jubilant. Not the case, two millennia ago. These men were afraid: terrified of the leaders in their own faith community. We don’t know if they believed the women who claimed Jesus had been resurrected or if they wanted to believe and still were afraid. Perhaps they were still in shock: from the death of their leader; from the denial of their lay leader; from the betrayal of one in their midst; from their own lack of ability to walk with and stand with Jesus while he hung on the cross. Then Jesus appeared and was not really very talkative. He said four words, which he repeated, and again repeated the next week when he appeared again: “Peace be with you.” Peace be with you. Then he breathed on them and asked them to receive the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, the church — that early group of believers — didn’t really receive the Holy Spirit for 50 more days on Pentecost, but the disciples got it that evening. They received the Holy Spirit from Jesus so they could do what they were supposed to do — so that they could be the ones they were called to be. A week passes in which we do not have stories except this one about Thomas. When the disciples told him what he had missed, his response was basically: sorry, guys, I won’t believe it till I see it for myself. You will have to show me. So again they were in the house — a week later — again doors shut. We have to wonder, were they still living in fear, which is not a small thing. Their lives, undoubtedly, were in danger. This time, Thomas was with them, and following the words, “Peace be with you,” Jesus invited Thomas to touch him so that Thomas could become a believer. The story is not just about doubt. It is also about the way Jesus Christ ministers to doubt and fear and aloneness. That ministry comes with presence and affirmation. Christ was available to the disciples who were huddled in fear. A week later, he didn’t come back and chastise them for not moving more quickly. He gave them the same gift of peace. Peace is the most comprehensive and prized gift of God. “Peace be with you” is not a simple greeting of hello. It means completeness, soundness, absoluteness — the totality of full relationship with God. When we accept the peace of God, indeed, we have accepted the gift of faith and belief. Yes, Jesus said to Thomas, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe. He did not, however, say, “Thomas, you are not blessed — just because you needed to see.” Jesus knew Thomas needed to see. Jesus knew Thomas needed hard facts. Because Jesus knew the fullness of God — which includes all personality types. I believe faith is a gift from God. We cannot work to find faith, make efforts to discover it, or devote hours to creating belief. We can work, make efforts and devote time to readying ourselves to receive the gift of faith. We can begin to discover how we learn and what needs to be in place for recognizing something that is true to our hearts. We can place disciplines in our lives that attune us to possibilities that may cross our paths. Just as Thomas did. He couldn’t believe just because his colleagues told him something. So he went to the best place to receive a revelation. If he had not been ready, I doubt Jesus would have made the appearance. Are you ready to receive the gift of faith? There is always more to receive, but it will come when we are open…come when we are susceptible to the gift. The gift will match the recipient. If you are a ‘Show Me Missourian’ you will get the hard, cold facts of discovery — if and when you are ready. If you are of another kin, the gift will come wrapped so you can open and know it is yours. May Thomas’s story be an inspiring one for you as you continue to receive the gift of faith and belief from the God whose greatest treasure is peace and love. • SW |
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