This morning, as I was reading John 11—a chapter most known for the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus—something new stood out to me.

Rightly so, the raising of a man from the dead is extraordinary! But today, God highlighted something else in the events leading up to that miracle.

I noticed two often-overlooked details about two familiar people: Thomas and Martha.

First, Thomas.

If you’ve been around church or Sunday school for any length of time, you likely know Thomas by his unfortunate nickname: “Doubting Thomas.” His hesitation to believe in the risen Christ until he saw the nail-scarred hands (John 20:24–29) has been etched into our memory.

However, earlier—before his moment of doubt—Thomas displayed remarkable courage and loyalty.

When Jesus faced the threat of death by returning to Bethany, it was Thomas who said to the other disciples,

“Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” (John 11:16, NKJV)

How often do we overlook his bold faith, focusing instead on his later struggle?

Second, Martha.

Martha, too, often carries a reputation for being too busy to sit at Jesus’s feet (Luke 10:38–42). She is remembered as being preoccupied with serving, rather than resting in His presence.

Yet, in John 11, Martha powerfully affirms her faith in Jesus:

“Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:27, NKJV)

In a moment of great sorrow, she boldly declares who Jesus truly is—a confession of faith as strong and clear as Peter’s (Matthew 16:16)!

Why is this moment not celebrated as loudly as the moment of her busyness?

It made me wonder:

Are there people in our lives—maybe even in our own hearts—whose failures we replay more often than their demonstrations of faith?

Do we focus on their mistakes, overlooking the work of Christ that is shaping and transforming them?

My prayer is this:

May we have eyes to see the evidence of Christ at work in our brothers and sisters.

May we encourage them in their growth rather than diminish them to a moment of weakness.

As the Word says:

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)

Lord, help us to see others—and ourselves—through the lens of grace.