We have been learning about the Easter story in preschool for a couple of weeks. We talked last week about the last supper. Teaching 4 and 5 year old children about the reason we drink grape juice and eat bread when we take communion was actually quite easy. It is also really easy to tell them that we love each other and show God’s love to others because Jesus said, “A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Teaching this to children is easy because kids understand love and kindness, what gets tough is explaining to children the next part…. Jesus dies.
This is hard to explain to children because even as an adult it is very hard to understand. How can people treat a man so terribly? How can you beat and bruise a man so bad without reason? How can you expect him to carry his own cross after you have beaten him for hours? All of these questions are ones that I ask myself every time I sit down and REALLY think about Jesus dying for me. Let me tell you the classroom gets very quiet when I read the story of Jesus dying. Explaining to my kids that Jesus was beaten and nailed to a cross and then left to die creates feelings in preschoolers that most have never felt before (most kids know that he died and rose 3 days later but they have never heard the nitty gritty yucky parts). The look of sadness in their eyes and the sighs of compassion as you explain the entire story are heartbreaking.
The good news is that tomorrow I get to teach them about the good part… Jesus rose from the dead and he is in Heaven, waiting for us. Even better, Jesus lives in us every day. Jesus lives in our hearts and when we hear that voice in our head telling us to do the right thing it is really Jesus in our hearts telling our brain what to do. I believe it is important to teach them the entire story as it really puts into perspective how much Jesus loves us. That he was willing to die such a brutal death so that we don’t have to, even though we deserve to. My prayer is that you have a chance to read the Easter Story and remember how much Jesus loves you!
Happiness Unfolding 