There was a simple family moment that left me pondering deeply about what it means to live by sight or by faith.
The Pillow That Went Missing
One evening, my son Caleb had wet his bed, and as a result, his favourite pillow had to be washed and set out to dry. By the time he went to sleep, he had forgotten that he no longer had it with him. In the middle of the night, he wandered into our room, distressed and insistent that his pillow had gone missing.
I tried to explain: “Caleb, remember you wet your bed earlier? Your pillow is being washed. You didn’t go to bed with it tonight.” But my words seemed far too abstract for him. He refused to accept what I said.
So, I brought out my phone torch and showed him around his room, pointing out that the pillow was not there. We searched high and low, but still, he would not believe me.
Finally, I carried him to where the pillow was drying, hanging clearly in front of his eyes. Yet even then, he shook his head and insisted that it was not his. It was only when I brought the pillow to him and placed it in his hands — when he could feel it, smell it, and touch its dampness — that he was finally convinced. Only then did he rest.
Three Levels of Faith
Looking back, I realised there were three different “levels” at play in this episode:
- Faith without sight – trusting in what is said. I asked Caleb to believe my explanation alone, but it was too much for him.
- Faith by sight – trusting in what is visible. Even when I pointed to the pillow hanging there, he still doubted.
- Faith by touch – trusting through direct proximity. It was only when he could touch the pillow himself that he finally believed.
The Story of Thomas
This scene reminded me of Thomas in John 20. When the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples, Thomas was absent. And when told of the resurrection, he said he would never believe unless he could see and touch the wounds himself.
Jesus, in His patience, later appeared to Thomas and said:
“Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
Thomas was met at his level of faith, just as Caleb was met at his. But Jesus also added words that echo down to us today:
“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
What Faith Looks Like Today
Like Caleb, many of us long for proximity. We want something tangible — something we can see or touch before we commit our trust. But Jesus calls us to a deeper blessing: the blessing of believing even when we cannot see or touch.
Faith is not wishful thinking. Our faith rests securely on the reliability of Scripture, God’s revealed Word. We may not have Jesus’ physical hand to grasp, but we do have His promises — and those promises are more certain than anything we can hold in our fingers.
Conclusion: The Gospel’s Reframing
That night with Caleb taught me something humbling. Left to ourselves, we often insist on seeing or touching before we will believe. But the gospel changes this posture. It reminds us that true faith is anchored not in what our eyes or hands can verify, but in the trustworthiness of God Himself.
When Christ died and rose again, He secured a foundation firmer than any pillow in our hands. And through His Word, we are invited to rest — not because we have touched, but because He has spoken.
✝️ The Christian faith reframes our thinking: it moves us from restless searching to settled trust, from doubt to assurance, from insisting on proof to resting in promise.