Thomas the Fatalist

What is a negative personality?

Autumn, has been a lover of all things Pooh Bear In 1966 the character Eeyore was introduced in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and The Honey Tree, a theatrical short. Owned by Christopher Robin, Eeyore displays a gloomy, dismal, glass half empty, and depressed outlook on all things; his outlook being the classic pessimist. This is likely because he has been stuffed with saw dust. Some of Eeyore’s quotes are: “not much of a house, just right for a donkey”, “Use caution standing by the river bank you might get bounced into the water”, “Don’t worry about me. God and enjoy yourself. I’ll stay and be miserable.” “If it’s a good morning which I doubt” “most likely lose it again anyway”, and “all good things come to an end”

Have you ever been a negative person? Do you know a negative person? Pessimism is confidence in the worst outcomes despite the best circumstances.

Let’s Meet Thomas: Diddymus (The Twin)

Thomas as we are going to see has a lot in common with our friend Eeyore. Thomas is often known for his doubt. But his doubt comes from a more central portion of his character. Thomas sees the world through a lens of poverty instead of abundance. He is a pessimist.

Thomas is only listed in the Synoptic Gospels as a disciple. Yet, in John’s Gospel Thomas is listed as an important character in the text on three occasions.

John 11:16 “Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”” Jesus is going to to return to Judea to the town of Bethany to bring his friend Lazarus back from the dead. The town is in sight on the hill of Jerusalem. Thomas is devoted to Jesus. It is Thomas that boldly declares to the others they need to go as well that they may die alongside him. It has been three years and Thomas has witnessed the rejection of Jesus, he knows it is not going to end well. Thomas didn’t trust in the security and opportunity Jesus would display. Life out of death, only the darkness of joining a dead friend.

Pessimism focuses on an end instead of seeing an opportunity.

John 14:5 “Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”” Thomas asks Jesus this question in the Upper Room, of a grief stricken teacher he asks. Jesus has shared he is going to be betrayed by one of their own and that he will be taken from them. But Jesus shares that they know how to be reunited with him but Thomas can’t see past the moment. Jesus makes the impossible possible.

Pessimism limits vision.

c. John 20:24–28 “But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!””

Thomas was absent for some reason. Perhaps his grief didn’t allow him to stay in that room, maybe he ran an errand? Either way on the resurrection morning, Thomas was not among the gathered disciples when Jesus appeared the the group. Could you imagine returning and hearing the fantastic story from your closest friends but Thomas’s outlook on life could not allow him to believe. His worst fears became reality, just as he expected except he did not die alongside Jesus. He failed.

Pessimism steals the joy of hoping what is possible.

Trade Darkness for Light

The Cost of Pessimism

Pessimism is misdirected faith. it is confidence in the negative with hope for a positive. Pessimism is a life in darkness in search of light but not expecting to find it.

Pessimism makes you a slave to sorrow.

Pessimistic persons are grieved not only in their spirits but in their everyday lives. Those that live their lives with now hope of a silver lining suffer from:

anxiety, hostility, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Christians are called to see that world through the promises of God and the assurance of His work.

Pessimism maybe useful in moderation (keeping us grounded) but it is not to be our primary lens. We are a people of hope and light. Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.”

Suffering and hardship and all things broken are redeemed in the eyes of the Christian. We are not slaves to the circumstances of this world.

Romans 8:28 “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

2 Corinthians 12:19 “Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves before you? We are speaking in Christ before God. Everything we do, beloved, is for the sake of building you up.”

John 16:33 “I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!””

Christians live with expectant hope and trust in the promise. We walk in the light. We live in the abundance of God. We leave behind the doldrumatic worldview and walk in the freedom of Christ.

1711John Wesley died with this on his tongue, and let us live with it on our hearts—“The best of all is God is with us.”—21.720

Charles Spurgeon

Thomas had to let go of his pessimism, of his negative mind, of his scarcity world view and receive the new and sanctified life of freedom in Jesus Christ. Christ has given us all that we need, all that is necessary. We are a people set apart and see the world through the eyes of the work of Salvation History. This world wants you to see the darkest and gloomiest ends. It is these headlines that have people flock to buy news papers and stay glued to the TV. But we are not a people who have been given a spirit of fear but one of power and self control. We are not to be a people who look like Eeyore but to be a people more like his friend Pooh.

What happened to Thomas?

Thomas is written about in many early gnostic writings, though they are not cannon because they were written almost 200 yrs. after Jesus, Sean McDowell in his book The Fate of The Apostles writes that the oral tradition is likely reliable that Thomas remaining the devoted follower of Jesus and in receiving that promise of seeing the world through a new lens of Divine Promise] died in India. It is taught that the one who would not believe until he saw the nails marks in Jesus’s hands and until he could place his hand in the spear wound on his side, was executed as martyred with a sentence from the king Gondaphares in India by four spears. Thomas left behind a life directed by pessimism and embraced the life of the Gospel that gave way to seeing opportunity in circumstance, vision in unfamiliar, and hope in the impossible.

It is through our knowledge and trust of who Jesus is that changes how we see the world, how we experience grace, and live into God’s promise. It is by the redemptive and amazing work of God through the Holy Spirit working around, in us, and through us that becomes our testimony to what God can do and why we are different. Put on the lens of the Gospel and live in the freedom and power that you have received to share the message of Jesus to the world. Amen.