As a small child, I enjoyed visiting Santa at a local department store
at Christmastime. My parents would take me downtown to the jolly bearded man in
the red suit. I felt comfortable climbing into his lap, telling him my wish
list and receiving a gift along with his encouraging words. He was friendly,
predictable and safe.
Imagine my excitement when one Spring I learned that the Easter Bunny
would be at the same department store. Neither my family nor I had ever seen
the Easter Bunny. I had seen white rabbits. Those cute, cuddly little bunnies
seemed so warm and innocent. I looked forward for some time to seeing the real
Easter Bunny.
Finally, the big day came. My father took me to the store that
afternoon. When we reached the Bunny's floor, I was shocked. Before me was a
human-sized hare with big eyes and large, floppy ears. The creature walked on
two legs like a human. He talked.
The more clearly I saw him as I approached him, the more slowly I
walked. I would not get close to the furry beast. He wanted to give me a gift,
but I was not cooperating. "Just throw it to me," I suggested. He
tossed his present across the room, Frisbee-style.
Much as I was confused about the Easter Bunny, many folks are confused
about the meaning of Easter itself. For some, it means new clothes and a chance
to show them off. Others focus on eggs, candy and special meals. Spring Break
is a highlight of the season. The beach beckons and relaxing on the sand or
reveling at parties defines the holiday.
Easter is also billed as a time of renewal. It may be relatively easy to
renew things outwardly -- new clothes, a hairstyle, a fancy party. Renewal on
the inside can be more difficult. Problems from the past can haunt one's
memory. Broken relationships undermine self-esteem. Guilt over missed
opportunities, pain from rejection, loneliness and anger from past hurts can
sometimes create a swirling inner vortex, a psychological suction from which
escape is difficult.
Where does one find inner renewal? Some look to friends or family.
Counselors and self-help books provide coping skills. But maybe a look at the
first Easter could also offer some clues.
Nearly two millennia ago, a young Jewish leader fell into disfavor with
established authorities. He was executed, declared dead, wrapped up like a
mummy and placed in a tomb. A large stone was rolled against the tomb's
entrance and an elite unit of Roman soldiers guarded the tomb against grave
robbers.
Two days later, the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty, but
the grave clothes were still in place. The man's closest followers, most of
whom had abandoned him during his trials, reported seeing him alive again. Many
later died horrible deaths for telling people that their leader had risen from
the dead.
They had been transformed from the inside and it affected every facet of
their lives, giving them inner strength, freedom from guilt, love for their
enemies, and boldness to stand for what they believed was right. "If
anyone is in Christ," wrote one early believer, "he is a new
creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
Sometimes life's challenges can seem as scary as that huge hare seemed
to me when I was a child. We don't want to get near them. Yet that first Easter
still offers hope. Maybe if Jesus really did come back from the dead, then
people today can find inner renewal by knowing him personally.
As we enjoy eggs and rabbits this Spring, might that be a message worth
pondering?
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