Did you ever
have show and tell in school when you were a kid? You know what I’m talking about, you bring in
an item, show it to your classmates and then tell them what it is and why it’s
special. We usually think of showing and
telling as going together, but in creative circles, like storytelling or screen
or playwriting, showing and telling are often in conflict with one another. Back in my acting days my directors
would always say, “Don’t tell me, show me!” You see, telling is about relaying
information, it’s cerebral. Showing, on
the other hand, is experiential. It says
something without having to use words. The
Russian playwright Anton Chekov once said, “Don’t tell me the moon is shining,
but show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
An Orthodox icon of the story of Doubting Thomas
This past Sunday we heard the familiar story of Doubting Thomas (John 20: 19-31). The
disciples who were met by the resurrected Jesus in that upper room on Easter
Sunday morning were so moved by the experience that they had to tell Thomas,
the only one not there, about it. I’m
sure they were very detailed in their explanation, painting a perfect mental
picture, but Thomas doesn’t believe them.
Thomas isn’t about telling, he wants to be shown. So the next week Jesus arrives in the same
manner and shows Thomas the nail and spear marks on his body, prompting Thomas
to give that beautiful exclamation, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus shows,
he doesn’t tell. Before his crucifixion
Jesus showed people the love and mercy of God, much more than telling. And after his resurrection, he doesn’t just
rely on the disciples to tell Thomas that he has been raised, but he comes to
Thomas and shows that he his alive.
For too long
history was not kind to Thomas, who of course was referred to as Doubting
Thomas and chastised for the fact that
he could not believe without seeing. But
one thing to remember about that line from Jesus—blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe—is that that line is not Thomas, but it is for the community of John’s Gospel, and everyone who has come after, none of whom have seen a physical Jesus, resurrected version or not. Doubting Thomas is not exactly a fair nickname because rather than being a dig at Thomas, Jesus' words are meant to support and encourage those of us who are shown the glory of Jesus in a world where he is not physically present. Thomas simply wants to experience Jesus, rather than be told about him. I suspect we can all relate to that.
