The next friend to answer the question, “Why does Easter matter to you?” is another college friend. Shane Sullards is the owner of Lapdog Inc, a leadership development group in the Atlanta area. Shane is one of those hard-core outdoor guys (I once spent 24 long, cold, wet hours in a cave in Georgia with Shane). He’s super humble and loves Jesus.

This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.

My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love.

-1 John 3:16-18 (The Message)

Easter to me is a constant reminder of the above. Jesus knew that I needed Him to die for me; He met that need, not by words or talk, but with action.