September 13, 2024 Devo

September 13th, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
The Story of Lazarus (John 11)
So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.” Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.” – John 11:14-16 (NLT)
“The Naysayers”

Some people see the glass as half empty. Some see the glass half full. Thomas saw an empty glass that was probably chipped and is going to cut your lip. What a negative guy! He certainly lived up to the historic moniker, “Doubting Thomas.” Despite everything he had seen Jesus do, Thomas still didn’t trust Jesus to protect him and the disciples as they headed back to Judea. He went, but he certainly had his doubts. And he felt free to express them in a negative, sarcastic way.
The Naysayers. Every church, team, workplace, and family seems to have them. They’re the people who always want to point out the bad, focus on the negative, and let everyone know why something is not going to work. They are often cynical and critical, quick to take shots at those who are trying to move things forward. The more subtle among them are those who aren’t loud and complaining. They’re the ones who simply have a snide remark or like to use a condescending tone to show their displeasure or disagreement.
What many of these “Thomas” people don’t realize is the wind drag they create for the group. Life, work, and ministry are hard enough without the peanut gallery telling you how it’s all going to fail and fall apart. And whenever something does go wrong, they’re the first ones to say, “I told you so!” Many of these folks call themselves “realists.” But they’re not. They’re doubters like Thomas. Thomas went on this trip. Later on, his doubt caused him to miss the first appearance of Jesus and almost caused Him to miss the resurrected Christ altogether. And there’s no telling how many others his negativity impacted along the way.
Don’t be a Thomas. You’ve seen what God can do. You’ve watched Him work, heard Him speak, and seen His miracles. Don’t let the wounds of your past or the disappointments you’ve had in your journey steal your hope and faith in Jesus. Stop the negative comments. Swallow those sarcastic remarks. Bite your tongue when you feel those critical remarks in your mouth. When Jesus is saying move, MOVE! Don’t be a naysayer. That’s God’s Word for you today.