Show Me Faith

I originally come from the state of Missouri, the "Show Me State" - a state where the early disciples, like Thomas, would have been right at home: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe" (Jn 20:25).  They would have to show him before he would believe them.

Of course, Thomas, known as "doubting Thomas," was not really an anomoly among the disciples, his "show me faith" was the rule, not the exception: "Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen" (Mk 16:14).

Their faith, in the beginning, was really not much different than the unbelievers of their day: "Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you" (Mt 12:38).  This weak, "I need visible proof," kind of faith prompted Jesus to rebuke his own disciples saying, "you have so little faith" (Mt 17:20).

He went on to tell them in that passage, that they could do wondrous things if only they "had faith the size of a mustard seed."  Their, the unbelievers and often our "show me faith" is too enemic to accomplish much.  If we have to have a sign, confirming that we will be successful in fulfilling a word from God, we will never begin or finish much - if indeed anything of value.

Faith, the biblical faith God calls us to, does not require a visual confirmation.  As the writer of Hebrews insists, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (11:1).  Likewise, Jesus told Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (Jn 20:29).

The point is that we have God's Word in the Bible, we have the prompting of the Spirit within and we have the testimony of righteous who have gone before us - can we not believe and have faith to move forward in service and ministry to God without some kind of visible proof?  And if God must show me, is that not knowledge more than faith?  Is it not written, "For we live by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7)?  Jus' Ask'n.