Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” – John 20:11, 14-17 NLT
Warrior;
We are unique. Also, our pain, our struggles, our shortcomings, our giftings, our ‘family of origin’ issues, our way we process this experience in the flesh- is a unique creation just like us! We must remember there is no one like you! Jesus tells us in the book of Revelation about our uniqueness and the uniqueness of our journey from enemy of God to child of God! It is written; He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’ (Revelation 2:17) This ‘White Stone’ has much meaning. One meaning is Acquittal and Purity: In ancient courtrooms, a white stone symbolized a verdict of “not guilty,” signifying that the recipient is free from condemnation. The White Stone has other meanings like Victory/Admission: Similar to tokens given to winners of ancient sports races or guests at a banquet, the stone represents victory, honor, and access to God’s kingdom. An additional meaning I want to focus on is the New Identity/Name: The stone bears a new name known only to the recipient, representing a deeply personal, transformed nature or a new, intimate identity given by God. We must realize that We are not like anybody else, we are unique and so the walk that God has us on is unique! For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:13-14) God treats us uniquely, differently depending on our needs, our struggles, our pain, our disappointments. Some are healed; some are not. Some are blessed on this side of eternity with Money, with a good family, with a good pedigree- however, many are not!
Leader, have you ever wondered why you struggle in places where others do not? Have you ever wondered why everyone else seems more spiritual than you? Have you questioned what is wrong with you because you struggle and everybody else just throws scripture at you and tells you their 3-6 step personal strategy for living the dream they call their life? I see so many Christians hurting others who are struggling, by wanting to help fix them with their shallow advice, scriptural flogging, and condescension as that ‘perfect’ follower of God, you know the perfect one- the one that tells you how screwed up you are and you need to ‘get your stuff together’? Remember, the ROAD TO HELL is paved with Good Intentions. Just like the White Stone that will be unique to each believer that stands before Jesus, so too is our fingerprints. Did you know this about your fingerprints: No two fingerprints are identical; In over 80 years of fingerprint classification, no two identical sets have been found; Fingerprints are formed in the womb itself before you are born, they come in at the same time as the lobes of your brain. These patterns are formed during the fetal development stage,13 to 21 weeks: Identical twins, who share the same DNA, have different fingerprints; Fingerprint patterns remain the same during the lifetime and even after until the complete decomposition of body takes place; Because of the individualistic nature of Fingerprints, they are the most widely used identification took and can be used to replace passwords, ID cards and other methods for limiting access to buildings, computers etc. This is very similar to our Walk, our Pain, our Way forward, and our Struggles. God does NOT have the same path, the same program, the same WAY forward for each person- He personalizes our walk, our way, our relationship.
Conduit, in the 20th Chapter of John there is another encounter with the Risen Christ. Hear the Word of the Lord; Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “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.” (John 20:18-19,24-25) Here is a disciple that we have not heard much from, but what we hear now is skepticism and doubt. Mary earlier was passionate about Her Lord, Jesus. She loved Him so much she did not want to let him go, again! AS we read on, we see how Jesus dealt much differently with Thomas; Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” (John 20:26-27) Why was Mary not allowed to touch Jesus, but Thomas was practically commanded? Did Jesus love Thomas more? Was this an anti-woman thing? Did Mary do something wrong? NO! However, most believers put their own beliefs, their own MAP OF REALITY, their own walk\experience as the STANDARD, the ONE WAY to do things. When we interpret the Bible with this filter it is called Eisegesis. The contrast in today’s Bible verses is not Mary denied, and Thomas allowed. Mary and Thomas were spiritually in different places, had different pasts and had different struggles: Mary is redirected from grasping to governing witness- Thomas is moved from doubt to confession. Mary receives an announcement about the new mode of relationship after resurrection- Thomas receives an invitation that confirms the reality of the bodily resurrection. Mary is the first witness who must announce the new age. Thomas is the later witness who must confess the risen Lord. One scene emphasizes mission, the other verification. One is about relinquishing old categories; the other is about overcoming unbelief. Mary’s issue is clinging; Thomas’s issue is believing. Jesus redirected Mary because the resurrection had inaugurated a new relationship and a new mission, while he invited Thomas to touch because Thomas needed proof that would lead him to confession. Mary wants to hold Him physically. Jesus needs her to release Him missionally. Thomas does not want to keep Jesus from ascending. He is struggling to believe Jesus has risen at all. Thomas’s issue is not attachment; it is doubt. At first glance, the two moments seem contradictory. But when read in context, they reveal two different problems, two different hearts, and two different kinds of touch. We must be careful with how we counsel all those imperfect followers out there- we don’t know where people have come from, or what their pain and hurt from the past has caused them- empathy is to walk with them and love them like Jesus! We must quit thinking ourselves better than others and using the Bible as a cudgel that moves people away from God, because they are not GOOD ENOUGH! Remember; perfect saint; ALL Fall short of the glory of God, including you- so have mercy, grace and demonstrate love- like Jesus!
