How Serving Others on Easter Can Honor Christ

Easter is my favorite Sunday.

Break out the fine china, the water goblets, and a thousand plastic eggs. Yes, you read that correctly—a thousand plastic eggs.

At my house, Easter has always been go big or go home time. It started out innocently enough the first year we hosted—food, fellowship, and fun. The guest list included a hodge-podge of family, grandparents, friends, distant relatives, and anyone else who might be alone on Easter. I was disappointed that it rained for six days prior to our celebration. I worried about the usual things: parking, people showing up, and where we would all sit.

It stopped raining at six that morning, but the yard and driveway were pretty much under water. At least we could still sit out on the covered porch—that was something. But what to do with those plastic eggs? We hid them anyway, in the mud and water all over the yard. Muck boots were a necessity. It went down as the best Easter in the history of our family.

The tradition has evolved over time and now includes any number of visitors. It’s also the best time to try out some of those Pinterest recipes, with a bunch of hot dogs and hamburgers in the fridge as a backup plan. Much like Jesus, I have opened our doors to others who may feel left out and alone. It is unconventional, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ is such an honor, and I want to reflect that honor by serving others. I can serve them by filling a thousand plastic eggs with candy and quarters, and hiding those eggs outside regardless of the weather. I take great pains to make sure the kids have a lot of fun. I can also honor Christ by creating a meal like no other, with optional expense and work for my guests. In choosing to use real dishes, drink fresh coffee, and talk about their lives, serving them comes easily.

On Easter, I especially want to serve those whose lives are spent serving others and those with unmet needs. The mom of five who never gets a break, grandparents who don’t get out much anymore, survivors of illness, and the family that struggles financially. It is a pleasure to bring so many faces together at one table (or many). It is a blessing to love, serve, and honor others just like Jesus did. He loved, served, and honored people everywhere he went. And he ultimately served us all as a sacrifice on the cross, which is the reason we gather to celebrate on this day.

Our Easter Sunday is always filled with surprises and unexpected twists. By focusing on the resurrection of Christ in the weeks leading up to Easter, I can give of myself fully on that day. It isn’t important if it rains, or if the main course is a total fail and we have to revert to the backup plan. It isn’t important if the kids get messy and have to change their clothes, or if someone is a little late showing up. It doesn’t really matter if parking is tight. [Tweet “What matters is I have done my best with my gifts and resources. “]I have loved, served, and honored guests in my home, and in doing so, I have loved, served, and honored the Lord.

Angie Dailey lives in rural Ohio with her husband and family. She spends her best and most important time with the Creator of the Universe and with her family. She loves coffee, Jesus, and gardening, but not necessarily in that order. Angie blogs at angiedailey.com.

Photograph from Dailey family archive.