John 20 As Mary went to the disciples with the message that Christ had risen, only two left the “safety” of the upper room to see if what she said could be true. What motivated them to go? The two that ran were Peter and John, and as it would be, Peter again shows us his character of wanting to be first and wanting answers to his questions. How about you or I? Do we step ahead of others to find the answers?

Today, as I was reading the news, another article came up about the injured soccer player. She is a devout atheist and again railed at God. How tragic and how unlike our disciples. She refuses the gift of salvation, but Peter and John seek answers. Truly, 2 Cor 4:4 is very true: “The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ.”

Peter and John found part of their answer but left before Jesus could reveal Himself. However, Mary stood by and found it in the risen Christ. Don’t you wonder if the disciples had waited there instead of returning to the upper room, they too might have encountered the “gardener,” the True Gardener, Jesus risen from the dead?

If only that soccer player would wait to see and hear the Gardener’s voice, she too could say as John: I believed. How about you?