Doubt Is The Threshold of Beleif
When I was in seminary, a professor I had stated loudly and clearly, and I am sure these aren't his words, although, he was smart enough that they could be, "The opposite of faith isn't doubt! The opposite of faith is fear, doubt, rather, is the threshold of belief."
He went on to say other eloquent words that were lost on me because of the profoundness of those first few words.
Last Sunday was "Doubting Thomas" Sunday, well, not really Doubting Thomas Sunday, it was actually 2 Easter, and the Gospel was about Thomas and his supposed doubt, although I don't know if it is so much doubt as healthy skepticism. I had an interesting train of thought though, that I had never really thought of come to me while I was preparing to possibly give a sermon, which I didn't end up giving.
Usually Thomas gets a bad rap because he didn't believe the disciples when they told him Jesus showed up, I mean come on, would you believe a bunch scared shaking blithering idiots if they told you someone walked through the door, someone who had apparently died right in front of your eyes? No, I didn't think so.
Anyway, I thought to myself, we should be grateful to Thomas for having the nerve to say screw you guys, your lying, you all are a bunch of losers, get with the program here folks! Grateful I say, because look what happened after he said that.
Jesus shows up, and is quite nice, and makes Thomas touch his nasty bloody wounds, I suppose some people might see that in a negative light, I mean if you have to touch open wounds because you don't believe something someone told you I can see how people might think that was more of a punishment than a blessing, but let's be grateful, cause out of his "doubt" comes the line, blessed are those who believe and have not yet seen.
If Thomas had taken the Disciples on blind faith, where would we be?
Interesting question for the day.
Be well,
A+
He went on to say other eloquent words that were lost on me because of the profoundness of those first few words.
Last Sunday was "Doubting Thomas" Sunday, well, not really Doubting Thomas Sunday, it was actually 2 Easter, and the Gospel was about Thomas and his supposed doubt, although I don't know if it is so much doubt as healthy skepticism. I had an interesting train of thought though, that I had never really thought of come to me while I was preparing to possibly give a sermon, which I didn't end up giving.
Usually Thomas gets a bad rap because he didn't believe the disciples when they told him Jesus showed up, I mean come on, would you believe a bunch scared shaking blithering idiots if they told you someone walked through the door, someone who had apparently died right in front of your eyes? No, I didn't think so.
Anyway, I thought to myself, we should be grateful to Thomas for having the nerve to say screw you guys, your lying, you all are a bunch of losers, get with the program here folks! Grateful I say, because look what happened after he said that.
Jesus shows up, and is quite nice, and makes Thomas touch his nasty bloody wounds, I suppose some people might see that in a negative light, I mean if you have to touch open wounds because you don't believe something someone told you I can see how people might think that was more of a punishment than a blessing, but let's be grateful, cause out of his "doubt" comes the line, blessed are those who believe and have not yet seen.
If Thomas had taken the Disciples on blind faith, where would we be?
Interesting question for the day.
Be well,
A+
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