An Easter Message

The Empty Egg

          Eight year old Steven was mentally retarded. His problem seemed to be getting worse day by day, and was becoming more apparent to his school teacher and also to his classmates. The teacher was becoming worried about how the other students would treat him. She wondered if they would continue to identify with him, love him, and include him in their games and activities as they became aware of his differences.

          In April, the teacher asked the class to each put together one plastic Easter egg filled with a small object that represented new life in the spring.

          Thinking that Steven did not catch on, and not wanting to embarrass him, the teacher had the children place the plastic eggs on her desk so that she could open them.  The first egg contained a tiny wildflower.  The teacher acknowledged that the flower was truly an indication of new life.  The little girl that brought the flower was overjoyed and told the class that it was her egg.  Next came a rock.  The teacher thought that this egg must be Steven’s since rocks don’t symbolize new life or growth.  But as she opened the egg with the rock in it, a little boy shouted out from the back of the room that the rock had moss on it and that is new life.  The teacher agreed.  A butterfly flew out of the next egg, and the little girl that brought it bragged that the butterfly was the best indication thus far.  The fourth egg was empty!  The teacher thought that this had to be Steven’s egg, so she nervously passed it by, and quickly moved on to the next egg.  But Steven announced that the empty egg was his.  Hesitating, the teacher replied, “But it’s empty”. “That’s right,” said little Steven, “just like Jesus’ tomb, and that means new life for everyone”.

Later that same summer, Steven’s condition worsened and he died.  At the funeral, on his casket, the children had nestled plastic Easter eggs among the flowers.  Some people that did not know the story were puzzled; but no floral spray, no matter how beautiful, could ever convey the wonderful message those empty plastic eggs told.  An empty tomb some two thousand years earlier gave Steven the hope of a new life.

"The Easter egg is hollow, just like they found the tomb; For it is meant to represent, Christ has risen for me and you!"

"And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why see ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day ride again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. {Luke 24: 2-9}