When it is DYED, can it possibly resemble that He DIED??? You are either FOR Easter eggs, or you are AGAINST them.
I am leaving commercialization out of the picture for now. That’s a story for another day. I am also not starting a great Easter debate. This debate is not new: “To give, or not to give”. Easter is the most important date in the Christian calendar. It is the FOUNDATION of the Christian religion. Easter is where the giving started – when Jesus GAVE His life for us.
We are not looking for Easter eggs, we are seeking for the root/Root of Easter eggs. Let the hunt begin…
1. Early Christians in Mesopotamia dyed eggs in the period after Easter. This tradition was adopted by the Orthodox Churches and became an ancient custom that was absorbed into Easter celebrations. They used the dye to resemble the Blood of Jesus.
2. In the Medieval period, the eating of eggs was forbidden during Lent, the 40-day fasting period before Easter Sunday. The intention of the fasting was to focus on the real meaning of Easter. Eggs were an important part of the feasting and merriment after the fast – the poorer people could not afford meat, and eggs were their main form of protein.
3. Eggs hold associations with spring and new life. This belief, led to the empty shell symbolizing Jesus’ tomb.
4. In the 16th century, Martin Luther organized egg hunts for the congregation. The men were hiding the eggs and then the women searched for the hidden eggs. To them, it symbolized the women finding the empty tomb.
5. Various other traditions sprang up around the egg, but the origin is not pagan at all, although eating cooked eggs on Easter does not promote fertility, as they believed. The rabbit, also known as the hare, was an ancient symbol of fertility and new life – and reminded the Christians about the Virgin Mary and the roll that the Holy Spirit played in her pregnancy.
6. Pace eggs come from early in 18th century in Lancashire. They were rolled along the ground in a race – symbolizing the rolling away of the stone from Jesus’ tomb. Mark 16:4 “But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away”
7. Many traditions (not all pagan) were adopted by Christian missionaries to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Many of these traditions were used as a way to encourage conversion.
My question today is: Why are humans hardwired for negativity? Why do we look for the bad, instead of the good in things, or the good in people? It is proven by scientists that bad news frequently draws more attention than good. Negative events have a greater impact on our brains than positive ones.
In 1 Corinthians 8:1 it states: “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up”. Won’t it be better to hand out Easter eggs, than to judge those organizing Easter egg hunts? Shouldn’t we seek the Jesus in everything, and not the pagan? John 1:1 reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.
May I bring my own twist to this tale? I think I am allowed to, as I was one of those (in my early Christian days), who would have stoned people hiding Easter eggs. I thought it took the focus off of the real meaning of Easter, instead of placing the focus on what this weekend is really about. But what if the egg is the method to the madness and that this madness draws your attention to the real meaning – the Life and resurrection behind the eggs? To me, those white, hollow eggs represent NEW LIFE. I think of Easter eggs as the bread at the holy Communion. It is my reminder that Jesus died to make us whiter than snow. To understand His gracious love, the whole egg needs to have a hole in it. Once opened, the Truth is tasted and revealed…the tomb is empty. He is risen.
Without candy-coating the Gospel, it will be wise to listen to the wisdom of the grey-heads - those things that our grandparents told us:
“Find the good in everybody.”
“You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”
“Treat others as you would like to be treated.”
I am reminded of the apostle Paul. He had so much ambition, and it was shown in the way he went after all the followers of Jesus. Until the day He met Him. He lost his religious pursuit of killing all Christians, and became the most zealous of them all. But zeal without knowledge and love is destructive. He had to unlearn religion. When we become critical, we become a judge. We judge intentions and we judge people’s character. There is only ONE Judge and that Judge is no respecter of persons. We see in Acts 10:34: “And Peter opened his mouth and said: Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.”
Yesterday, our Pastor said: “There are no demons in the eggs, only a whole lot of sugar”.
The conclusion I came to:
It’s up to YOU whether you hide the egg, eat the egg, smash it or roll with it. In the end, we are not hiding the Truth, we are hunting and searching for the Truth!
Maybe…just while someone is looking for an Easter egg, they find Jesus!
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