Every Easter, our home was transformed into a place of joy, with my mother, Lucy, in charge of it. She made a feast from the variety of her garden crops. Golden plantains, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and peanut sauce. But the best was always her pumpkin leaves mixed with smoked fish, accompanied by home-raised chicken meat. The neighbors knew that on Easter, their kitchens would remain empty, for our Mom would feed us all, a tradition she instilled with love.
But one Good Friday, as my mother laid her peanuts out to dry, my brothers and I, driven by childish greed, snuck a few into our mouths in secret. Little did we know, our mother had an exceptional way of knowing when we were up to no good. “Who ate my peanuts?” she asked. Fearing the consequences, we all denied it. She pulled out a small branch from the banana plant. “Take a bite,” she demanded, and we reluctantly obeyed. To our surprise, like a litmus paper, it revealed the contents stuck in our little teeth, exposing our guilt.
The Message of Easter
That night, after dinner and our prayers, she opened her Bible and began reading from Luke 23:39-43. Every word stung like a bee because our mother always waited until after dinner to punish us for whatever we had done wrong during the day.
“…One of the thieves who hung there, hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other thief rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
As she spoke of the two thieves, we quivered with fear, knowing the moment had come for us to pay for our sin of stealing peanuts. But then, she turned and looked at us.
“You see,” she explained, “the second thief was given a free ticket to heaven despite his past. This is why we celebrate Easter. Easter is not just about eating; it’s about the sacrifice made for us, the love that forgives even the silliest of sins. Just as Christ forgave the thief, I forgive you for stealing my peanuts tonight. But remember, never take what isn’t yours without permission.”
As her words sank in, I felt a mixture of relief and gratitude. My mother wasn’t just teaching us about forgiveness; she was instilling in us the significance of Easter—a celebration of sacrifice, love and forgiveness that would become our family tradition.
You Can Share Eternal Hope
Looking back on those memories fills me with both joy and sorrow. Though my mother is no longer with us, her lessons will never depart. She made sure we understood the importance of Christ’s death and resurrection. Today, we gather with friends and neighbors to celebrate Easter, sharing the stories she taught us and passing down the traditions she established. Every Easter, we slaughter a goat from our farm and share it with neighbors. Each goat we share and each story we tell is a reminder of the love and values she instilled in us, making Easter a time of reflection, forgiveness and community.
The Easter story has the power to bring hope and renewal to families worldwide. This Easter let’s unite to share the eternal hope of Jesus with those who need it most. Click here to learn how you can spread the hope of Easter today!
