During
the weeks leading up to Christmas, lots of traditional Christmas sweets fill
the store shelves. Bob’s Candy Canes are my favorite. I love to stir them into
my tea or coffee, crush them over desserts, and, of course, savor their
delicious flavor. Yes, there are other brands, but it’s the particular taste
and texture of Bob’s that I prefer.
While
teaching a teen Sunday School class, I looked into how candy canes came into
being. Their development took a few hundred years and a couple of creative
people.
Candy
canes started out as pacifiers. Before the invention of the modern pacifier,
parents gave their babies unflavored white sugar sticks to suck on.
During
the 1670's a German choir director wanted to remind children attending the
Christmas services of the real reason for Christmas. So, he had sugar sticks
bent into the shape of a cane in remembrance of the shepherds who came to visit
the baby Jesus. (Luke 2:8-12)
Canes
were a necessary tool for shepherds. They were used to keep would-be thieves
away, to aid in walking, and as a weapon against wolves or mountain lions.
The
shepherd’s cane was also used to guide and rescue sheep. It had a crook at the
top so the shepherd could retrieve a sheep that was out of reach. Sounds a lot
like what Jesus, the Great Shepherd does for us. John 10:11-15 says Jesus knows
us and cares about us, just like a shepherd knows his flock. He protects,
guides, rescues, and willingly died to save us.
About
1900, the white candy cane received its traditional red stripes. A candy maker,
who also wanted to remind people of the real reason for Christmas, was familiar
with Isaiah 53:5, “… by His stripes we are healed.”
Knowing
that the Scripture referred to the lashes Jesus received before He was
crucified, the candy maker added the stripes to stand for those wounds. He
chose the bold, red color to represent Jesus’ blood, which washes away our
sins. (1 John 1:5)
We’ve
all noticed what happens after we have been licking a candy cane for a while—it
turns all white—a visual of that purification we receive when we trust in Jesus’
sacrifice for our forgiveness.
Unfortunately,
the meaning of the Candy Cane has been forgotten by most people. However, the
true meaning is still there for those who look for it. So, from now on, every
time we enjoy a candy cane, let’s remember the messages that the choir master
and the candy maker wanted to share, and allow this delicious treat to center
our focus on Jesus, the real reason we celebrate.
And
we just thought it was good candy :-)
Be encouraged!
Pam
©2019 Pamela D. Williams
writepam71@gmail.com
