Easter has always had a special place in my heart. Several years ago when the boys were small we had the Easter Bunny start coming on Friday night so that we could focus on what Easter truly meant.With that in mind I want to share a story that I was given several years ago it has remained a favorite one of mine…
Thomas was 8 years old and in the 2nd grade. He was really slow and so the teacher would hand out the assignments and then let Thomas do his own thing. It was coming up on Easter and she wanted to do an activity that Thomas could participate in. She sent all the kids home from school with an empty plastic easter egg with the assignment to bring it back with something that represented spring and new life. The day came when the children were to bring the eggs back to class, knowing that Thomas probably hadn’t understood the assignment and not wanting to embarass him she had all the students place their eggs on her desk.
She opened the first one and inside was a tiny flower. A little girl raised her hand and said “teacher, teacher, that’s my egg that’s a new flower and that means spring and new life.” The teacher responded “your right it is and it does”.
She opend the next egg and inside was a rock, she thought Oh Thomas, and went to put it aside when a little boy raised his hand, “teacher that’s mine”, “but it’s a rock” she repsonded, he nodded his head and said “yes but on the other side is moss and that means new life”, “your right it does”, she respnded.
She opened the next egg and out flew a beautiful butterfly. A little girl raised her hand and said “teacher teacher that’s mine it’s a butterfly and that means spring and new life.” “Your right it does” she smiled as she responded.
She opened the next egg and it was empty. She thought Oh Thomas you didn’t understand the assignment and went to put it aside before anyone saw, when Thomas raised his hand ‘teacher that’s mine”, she frowned in thought and responded “but it’s empty”, “he smiled and replied “yes just like the tomb was empty, Jesus lived and that means new life.” With tears in her eyes she replied “Your right Thomas it does.”
A short time later Thomas died, at his funeral his classmates placed empty plastic Easter eggs on his casket. The Tomb was empty Christ lives and so to would Thomas again live.
