What Is The True Meaning of Easter?

By Kaley Thompson My favorite part about Easter was getting my white Keds covered with grass stains as I raced my friends and family around the yard for eggs. Not the real eggs. But the big plastic ones that always had some sort of treasure inside.

We’d leave no blade of grass unturned and rush toward our parents to reveal what treasures we had found.

Crack! Miniature candies. Crack! Plastic jewelry. Crack! A quarter. Crack! A toy car.  My eyes would glisten with child-like wonder in view of my new gifts. I'd turn to my friends to brag about what I’d won. We'd celebrate the surprises together and I’d trade candies until I collected as many pink Starburst as possible. As far as I knew, Easter was full of gifts.

What I didn’t know was people made a big sacrifice of time to provide those prizes. For hours, parents put all those little gifts into those small eggs and hid them in the yard. And it was all worth it to them to see a smile spread across their children’s faces. I’m pretty sure that’s what Jesus was doing on Easter too.

Thousands of years ago, Jesus made a really great sacrifice of time, pain, service and ultimately death on a cross. He packed all of this into a tomb, knowing after three days it would be cracked open and the treasure would be revealed- Jesus was alive! He had conquered death to set us free from our mistakes and failures. And in His living He gave us life, true freedom and perfect love for all imperfect people (John 3:16).

Jeremiah 29:13 says “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Over this upcoming Easter weekend, I challenge you to pick up your basket and go hunting. What will you discover if you seek for the true meaning of Easter? What has God left for you in the fields of life to find?

A second chance. Freedom from an addiction. The ability to replace your worry with joy. Endurance for the hardest times. The wonder of being who you were created to be.

There are treasures beyond imagination out there that God has left for you to be picked up. Cracked open. Looked at in surprise with child-like wander. And shared and celebrated with others.

As you’re Easter hunting, let us know what you find.

Kaley Thompson is the chief storyteller at People of the Second Chance. She lives in Charlotte, NC and wears a sparkly motorcycle helmet.

If you want to explore more about identity, purpose and God’s plan for your life, check out Wonderlife.