The Legend Of The Candy Cane

The candy cane is in the shape of a shepherds staff.
Jesus is our Shepherd and we are His flock.
A sheep follows his own shepherd, knows his voice, and trusts him and knows that he is totally safe with him.
The sheep will follow no other shepherd but their own.
This is how we are to be with Jesus if we truly follow Him
( John 10:11; Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11)


Upside down the candy cane is a "J", the first letter of Jesus' name.
It is made of hard candy to remind us that Christ is the rock of our salvation.

The wide red stripes on the candy cane represent the blood
He shed on the cross for each one of us
so that we can have eternal life through Him.
He redeems us and cleanses us with His shed blood -
the only thing that can wash away our sin. (Luke 22:20)

The white stripes on a candy cane represent the virgin birth,
sinless life and purity of our Lord.
He is the only human being who ever lived on this earth
who never committed a single sin.
Even though He was tempted just as we are, He never sinned.

The narrow red stripes on candy canes symbolize
that by His stripes, or wounds, we are healed.
Before the crucifixion Jesus was beaten;
the crown of thorns was placed on His head;
His back was raw from the whip.
We are healed by those wounds.
He bore our sorrows and by His stripes we are healed.
(Isaiah 53:3)

The flavoring in the candy cane is peppermint,
which is similar to hyssop.
Hyssop is of the mint family
and was used in Old Testament times
for purification and sacrifice.

When we break our candy cane
it reminds us that Jesus' body was broken for us.
When we have communion it is
a reminder of what He did for us.

AND, if we share our candy cane
and give some to someone we love
because we want to,
it represents that same love of Jesus
because He is to be shared with one another in love.

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