Jesus: An Imaginary Friend

Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and God!"

Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because

you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not

Seen and have believed. (John 20:28-29, NAB)

A popular country song talks about a parent being separated from their child due to war or business or whatever. When the child wants to know when the parent is coming home the parent replies, "I'm already there." The parent goes on to explain, they are the imaginary friend.

Does this not remind you of Jesus? Many people complain God is not real, you cannot reach out and touch Him, and He cannot embrace you when you are sad or cheer when you are happy. However, He can and does.

What are the qualities of an imaginary friend? Why do children turn to them? Children use imaginary friends to meet an unfulfilled need. Someone for them to play with, to talk to and share in the child's innermost world, when no one else is available.

The difference Jesus presents to us is that he is always there. Unlike the imaginary friend who only meets unfulfilled needs, He is there even for the fulfilled needs.

After the resurrection, Jesus appears to His disciples. Thomas, on of the disciples is not there and does not believe Jesus appeared. Here is a man who had traveled lived with and learned from Jesus durng the past three years and yet did not have enough faith to believe in the resurrected Jesus until he saw Him and probed His wounds.

As adults, we lose our imaginary friends. There is no room in our hectic lives for something that cannot be seen. Like Thomas, we say, "If I can't touch it, it cannot be real." We lose the childish innocence in exchange for a hardened adult perspective approved by the world around us.