A
candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness, so he made
the Christmas Candy Cane. He incorporated several symbols from the birth,
ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.
He
began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the
Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid
Rock, the foundation of the Church, and firmness of the promises of God.
The
candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the
precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also
represent the staff of the "Good Shepherd" with which He reaches down
into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep,
have gone astray.
Thinking
that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes.
He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received
by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on
the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.
Unfortunately,
the candy became known as a Candy Cane - a meaningless decoration seen at
Christmas time. But the meaning is still there for those who "have
eyes to see and ears to hear." Every time you see a Candy Cane, remember
the Wonder of Jesus and His Great Love that came down at Christmas, and that His
Love remains the ultimate and dominant force in the universe today.