“If I saw Jesus, I’d probably know because he’d be glowing or floating or something,” says Caleb, 9. “Also, I think he’d have a name tag that says ‘Messiah.’” If only it were that simple.

On the first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene stood outside Jesus’ empty tomb, crying. She looked into the tomb and saw two angels sitting where Jesus’ body had been. But instead of celebrating, she just wanted to know where Jesus’ body had gone.

Then, someone else appeared behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. She thought he was the gardener! Only when Jesus said her name, “Mary,” did she finally see who he was.

Why didn’t she know right away? “Sometimes you can be so sad you can’t see what’s right in front of you,” says Ava, 10.

That’s exactly right. Grief can blur our vision. Mary had seen Jesus crucified. Her hope was buried with him. Even when angels spoke to her and Jesus stood in front of her, she couldn’t see clearly until he called her by name.

“I’d recognize Jesus by his love,” says Noah, 11. “He would speak in a way that makes you feel like he knows everything about you and still loves you.”

That’s what happened to Mary. Jesus didn’t show off or glow. He didn’t float above the ground. He simply spoke her name. Love opened her eyes.

Jesus had once said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Mary was one of his sheep. When he called her by name, everything changed.

Later, when Jesus appeared to the other disciples, the nail marks did help them recognize him. But in Mary’s case, it was his voice and her relationship with him that revealed who he was.

If you ever travel to the Middle East where sheep graze, you might see something amazing. After several shepherds put their sheep together for the evening, each shepherd leads his sheep to pasture in the morning by making a certain sound or saying his own name repeatedly. The sheep know the voice of their shepherd.

“Jesus probably didn’t look exactly the same after he rose,” says Emma, 10.

That’s possible. The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly what Jesus looked like in his resurrected body. What it does tell us is that he didn’t need to be recognized by sight alone.

The moment Mary recognized Jesus, everything changed. Her sorrow turned into joy. She went from weeping to worshipping in a single moment. And then, Jesus gave her a mission: “Go to my brethren and say to them…” (John 20:17). She became the first person to announce the resurrection.

Imagine that! A woman in tears becomes the first witness to the greatest event in history. Not a priest, not a king, not a prophet, but someone who loved Jesus deeply and stayed close, even when everything seemed lost. Sometimes, we think we’d recognize Jesus if he walked into the room. But maybe he shows up in ways we don’t expect through a kind word, a quiet moment, or even someone calling our name.

Think About This: Jesus didn’t need to perform a miracle to be recognized. He just said Mary’s name. God often speaks to us in personal, quiet ways that only we can recognize, if we’re listening.

Memorize This Truth: “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him, ‘Rabboni!’ (which is to say, Teacher)” (John 20:16).

Ask This Question: If Jesus spoke your name today, would you recognize his voice?

© 2026 Carey Kinsolving