A Child's Perspective of the Empty Tomb

Let me tell you a story about my little friend Philip;  Philip wore thick glasses.  He had a terrible cowlick right in the top of his head.  His teeth were huge and crooked.  Philip wore tattered clothes.  Philip never felt like he belonged. He was pleasant enough but because he looked a bit different, he sometimes seemed unusual to his eight-year-old classmates. In his Sunday school class several weeks before Easter, Phillip’s teacher introduced a special project. He gave every member a plastic "egg"--the kind you use to stuff for egg hunts. He explained that each child was to go outside, find a symbol for new life and put it into the egg. Enthusiastically, the class responded. Back in the classroom the eggs were opened one at a time with each child explaining the meaning of his symbol.  In the first egg was a pretty flower; in the next a beautiful butterfly, while green grass was in a third. The children "oohed" and "aahed". In another was a rock, which prompted loud laughter. Finally the last egg was opened - there was nothing.   "That’s stupid," said one child. Another grumbled, ”Someone didn’t do it right!   The teacher felt a tug on his shirt. It was Phillip, who said, ’That’s mine, and I did do right! It’s empty, ’cause the tomb was empty." There was an unusual, thoughtful silence. And strangely, from that time on, Phillip was accepted as part of the group.  Phillip continued to struggle with many physical problems. That summer he picked up an infection which most children would easily have shaken off. But Philip’s weak body couldn’t and a few weeks later, he died.   At his funeral nine eight year-olds with their teacher brought their symbol of remembrance and placed it near his coffin. Their unusual gift of love to Phillip wasn’t flowers. It was an empty egg - now a symbol to them of new life and hope. It was Phillip, the "different" child, who had helped his friends see the wonderful hope in the message of Easter. (Preaching Today)