The Empty Egg

Image by @kikimora33 from Unsplash

Years ago, we staged an Easter play inspired by "𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝘆’𝘀 𝗘𝗴𝗴?" by Ida Mae Kempel.

Jeremy is a twelve-year-old boy with significant physical and learning challenges, yet he remains in a second-grade classroom. His teacher, Miss Doris Miller, often feels stretched thin and discouraged by his behaviour. She sees him as a distraction and quietly doubts his capacity to understand, even as she knows he is living with a terminal illness. However, there were rare moments when his speech shone through with surprising clarity

Torn between compassion and responsibility, she struggles to meet both Jeremy’s needs and those of the rest of the class.

As Easter draws near, Miss Miller teaches her pupils about Jesus’ death and resurrection. To illustrate the idea of new life, she gives each child a plastic egg and asks them to return the next day with something inside that symbolises life renewed.

The following morning, the classroom fills with excitement. One by one, the eggs are opened revealing flowers, butterflies, and moss, each representing growth and transformation.

Then an egg is opened and found to be completely empty. Assuming it was Jeremy's and that he has misunderstood the task, Miss Miller quietly sets it aside, hoping to spare him embarrassment. But Jeremy speaks up. Gently and simply, he explains that the empty egg represents the empty tomb because Jesus had risen.

In that moment, Miss Miller realises that Jeremy has grasped the heart of the Easter message more deeply than anyone else in the room. Her frustration dissolves, replaced by humility, wonder, and tears.

Three months later, Jeremy passes away. At his funeral, those who come to pay their respects find nineteen empty eggs placed on his coffin by his classmates. A silent yet powerful tribute to a boy who, despite his limitations, understood a profound truth about hope, life, and resurrection, and forever changed a teacher’s heart.

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Easter is 𝗻𝗼𝘁 about chocolate eggs or rabbits. It is about why Christ came to earth: 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.

Since the beginning of time, people have tried to reach God by their own standards, only to discover that we fall short. We ask the questions that sit quietly in every human heart: 𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘦? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦?

Jesus’ death and resurrection answer those questions with hope. The empty tomb declares that death is not the end and that life continues beyond it. It is the promise that those who call upon God will be saved.

𝗝𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝘆’𝘀 𝗲𝗴𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲.

As one quote puts it: “𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴.”

You may find the full story here: https://www.crivoice.org/jegg.html