Comfort Zones

I help teach one of the children's classes at my church each week. Our lesson this week was on "doubting Thomas". I was getting more and more uncomfortable with this lesson as I studied it and prepared to teach. I thought, "we really give this guy a tough time. All he did is question whether what he heard was or wasn't true. He said he wouldn't believe until he saw it for himself. After all, his companions were claiming to have seen the resurrected Jesus, so was it inappropriate for him to have wanted to see for himself as well?"

Thankfully, my co-teacher volunteered to teach the lesson for me, though she did not know of my struggles with the subject. During class, I learned alongside the kids. My friend said, "Thomas had heard from his closest friends and companions that Jesus had risen from the dead. Did he have any reason to doubt what they were telling him? His friends were honest. They had no reason to mislead him." Hmmmmm. "His statement to the other disciples revealed what he was thinking in his heart, "I won't believeit unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side." It wasn't that he was unsure, but that he had determined against believing. This made me think about what I may be keeping myself from believing.

This came on the heels of an interaction I had with a coworker this past week. She is a wonderful Christian lady who is old enough to be my mother, and, thankfully, is willing to play that role on occasion, when I need motherly advice. She came to me a bit troubled by an experience she had earlier in the week.

There was a group of young adults that were on a bicycle trip to (from?) Colorado. They stopped and asked her and her husband if they could pitch a tent in her yard for the night as they were passing through. She immediately became concerned. She did not know these young men, and had never heard of someone stopping a stranger and asking for a place to stay. Why weren't they staying in a hotel or a campground? My friend hesitated, but her husband immediately agreed and let the young men stay.

My friend was counselled by her family that this is what Jesus would have them do. Where else would these men stay, where it would be safe for them, but in the yard of a watchful Christian family? My friend felt sad that she had been so hesitant about doing God's work.

I tried to reassure her, explaining that things are scary in today's world. What if these young men were up to something? Would her family be safe? I assured her that it was right to question them and think of the safety of her family, but she countered with, "Don't you think God is strong enough to protect us?" How could I argue?

This made me think about my own Christian walk. Sometimes I think I am such a great person. I do good works all the time. I am active in personal ministry to others. I give generously to charity. I volunteer. I am helpful and kind. But....am I truly willing to follow wherever God leads me? All of the works I do "for the Lord" I do within the framework of my personal safety and at little or no risk. Would I have opened my yard, let alone my home, to a stranger? Would I do anything for a person I did not trust? I am not so sure. Just like Thomas, I have areas where I have doubts.

During our sermon today, the pastor quoted James 2: 14 - 16. "Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, "Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well" -- but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?" Ouch!

Obviously, God has opened my eyes to an area where I need to do some work. I am thankful for his patient instruction.