Ditto, Thomas

The text is John eleven.  The situation is awkward at best.  Jesus' good buddy Lazarus died a few days back in a land where people want to throw rocks at Jesus until he is dead.  Jesus is going there to be with the grieving family.  The situation is deadly at worst.

Lazarus' sisters' point of view is depressing-Jesus waited too long, our brother is dead.  He could have helped.

Jesus' point of view is veiled-no big hurry.

Jesus' followers' point of view is-wait... we're going back? They'll kill us!

Lazarus point of view is-dead.

Thomas point of view is-no sense in not following Jesus now.  Might as well die with him.
Wait, what?
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I relate to Thomas.  His name means "twin," and his name in Greek (the language of the New Testament) is Didymus, which is where we get the word ditto.

Thomas had guts.  He found himself in yet another situation with the savior.  The last time things got this weird was when Jesus said everyone must eat his proverbial flesh and sip his proverbial blood.  That time, a lot of followers of Jesus became deserters.  After all, that does sound icky.  Thomas was one of the ones who didn't bail.  "Y'all leaving, too?"  Jesus asked his closest friends.  "Where else would we go?  You have the words that lead to eternal life," Thom's buddy said to Jesus.  Check out John six, verses twenty-five through seventy for that one.

This time, Jesus is wanting to go back to Judea where some folks hate him so much they want him dead.  And Jesus wants to go back to see a dead guy.  Imagine Thom throwing his arms in the air, "Well, let's just all go die then."

Note, however, he refuses to desert Jesus.  Of all the odd things Jesus had done thus far, Thom knew better than to roll out now.  Jesus was way too cool to leave:  he got that wedding reception bumpin' again with fresh wine made from old water, fed thousands with a few fish, reached out to the down and out, and promises eternal life if you keep following him?  Yes, please.

So Thom decided even if they kill Jesus and him and everyone else, it'd probably be worth it, somehow.  Weirder things have happened with Jesus so far, anyhow.
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So for us, shouldn't we follow Jesus even when the night seems darkest and the situation the bleakest?  After all, Jesus has came through for us in crazy ways in the past.  So, if he is leading us to a valley, let us follow.  Thomas followed Jesus in such circumstances and got to witness something amazing.  Check out John eleven for that one.

"Let us go also, that we may die with him," Thom said.  "Ditto," I say.  We may find that we will find life, not death, if we follow him.