Easter Sunday, April 5: Let Them

Let Them

We come to an empty tomb today . . . but if we’re honest, most of us didn’t walk in here feeling very “empty tomb-ish” today. Because we came carrying things. 

I need a volunteer. Think of this rock as a burden you carry—stress from homework, for example. [Place one rock in their hands.] No big deal. Manageable.

But then come more burdens [add a rock for each]:
Will people like me?
What if I’m not good enough?
Pressure from school, work, or sports.
Bills. Comparing myself online. Fear of missing out. Feeling alone.

Am I too fat, too skinny, not enough?
Parenting doubts. Feeling unworthy to get baptized or confirmed today. 

One or two of these rocks… fine. But we keep adding them, little by little until we wonder: “Why am I so tired? Why is my patience short? Why does prayer feel like a chore?”

We carry all this not because we’re weak—but because we have good hearts. Even good hearts have limits. If we never make any changes we’ll get worn out… sometimes hard… sometimes we start tossing rocks instead of carrying them.

Now Easter is the big moment: the stone is rolled away. Not because Jesus needed it moved—but because we do. At Easter we celebrate that things can be different. We don’t have to carry everything.

There’s a book that I have been reading. It’s called “Let Them” by Mel Robbins. I highly recommend it. It basically describes that most of the burdens we carry are the results of trying to control someone or something. 

And here’s the news, we can’t change ANYONE else. (Now this doesn’t apply to parenting . . . you still need to direct your kids). But for the rest, Let them.  If people misunderstand you—let them.  If people don’t like you—let them. If life doesn’t go your way—let it.

We do this not because you don’t care—but to believe that you don’t have to carry it all; you are not responsible for another person’s happiness.  The book also empowers with a Let Me “—a mindset that shifts you from helpless to hopeful. It invites you to step into your dignity, your responsibility to yourself to say no, to not let other’s bad behavior effect you. Choose your response, grow through this, Trust that God is still at work in your life.

Again the stone is rolled away. Not because Jesus needed it moved—but because we do. But this not a “one time” event for us. We need to keep working on this every day. 

So here is your challenge for Easter . . . choose one situation, or one person or one event that you have been trying to change or control. One rock. And try this: let go. Say to yourself “let them.” It’s like the serenity prayer: “Lord give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.” Basically, you are not going to change anyone else, but you can change your attitude.

Come out from the tomb. Step into the grace that God has in store for you. Arise to the dignity that is yours. 

Let them . . . and let God.