October 8: Insight Post by Rusty Coram

  -   October 8, 2025

Faith Without Seeing is Blessed: Jesus told Thomas that those who believe without seeing are blessed. This encourages us to grow in faith, even when we don’t have all the evidence we might desire.

Wednesday Verse

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

Wednesday Questions

How can I cultivate a deeper faith, trusting in Jesus even when I cannot see the full picture? In what ways can I strengthen my belief in His promises and guidance, even amidst uncertainty and unanswered questions?

Wednesday Insight Post
by Rusty Coram

Pigeonhole is a long-used term that is used to stereotype or characterize someone in simple terms. Originally, it referred to a small, confined space for pigeons to nest. Not long afterwards, it became a term to describe people in a convenient but unfairly limiting way. For example, “Sally is smart”, “Bob is lazy”, or “Eddie is fearful.” The problem with pigeonholing people is that it reduces them to a single characteristic, and over time, that person becomes labeled and stuck with it.

Jesus’ disciple, Thomas, is a victim of this. If you Google the word “doubting,” the first hit is “doubting Thomas”. In our reading this week, we see him very skeptical of the reports of Jesus’ resurrection. “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” A week later, Jesus shows Thomas exactly what he is looking for, and his response is “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas’ reluctance to initially believe led people to nickname him “Doubting Thomas.” There are at least two good reasons to resist stereotyping people into tidy categories like this. The first is because it can cause us to violate the Bible’s command to “love our neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Most of us want to be treated fairly and respectfully, and stereotypes and caricatures don’t do this. The second reason is that pigeonholing someone’s character can miss other qualities that need to be appreciated. In Thomas’ case, we have clear evidence that he was a man of courage. Not long before Jesus is arrested and crucified, He tells His disciples He is going to see the family of His good friend Lazarus, who has recently died. No one but Jesus knows that He is going to raise Lazarus from the dead. What the disciples do know is that Jesus’ enemies are ramping up their attacks and ready to get rid of Him one way or another.  Knowing their concerns, Jesus says, “So he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵ And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.’” ¹⁶ Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.” John 11:14–16 (NLT)

Thomas is ready to go and suffer the consequences alongside Jesus. He was more than “Doubting Thomas,” he was also “Courageous and Faithful Thomas.”

Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org