Daily devotional, Dec 24, 2023 Candy Cane

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing." 
Luke 15:4-5

There was not a Christmas in my younger years when my mom failed to buy candy canes. I do not know if she liked the taste or she just loved the memories that came with it, but the sweet peppermint flavor of this treat certainly grew on me.

Recently, my youngest child told me that his teacher taught them about the symbols of Christmas. He said the candy cane, which is shaped like a staff, is meant to remind us that Jesus is our Shepherd. But what does it really mean to have Jesus as our Shepherd?

King David’s Psalm 23 captures the essence of having Jesus Christ as our Shepherd — the one whose voice we follow, and the one who provides and protects us. 

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Psalm 23:1-3

In this current age where voices upon voices compete on our heads, let it be Jesus we follow. With the many “false shepherds” in our midst — both online and in real life– it is easy to get lost and confused.

Who are these possible false shepherds? Ask yourself whose voice you follow most at the expense of following the Lord. Are you adoring your husband and your kids way too much that you sacrifice nurturing a personal relationship with the Lord just to please them?

Are you getting too invested in an organization that you devote all your time to it, to the extent of disregarding the Lord and even your own family? Are you so into your celebrity idols that you tend to follow and believe everything that they say?

Is the shepherd of money your priority that you no longer worship on Sundays just to close that deal? Or are you following the shepherd of power and self-image, that everything you do is for your personal glory and no longer for His?

If you said yes to any of these, then you are unfortunately committing the sin of idolatry. It may not be easy to give up an idol, but surrendering it to the Lord and deciding to follow Him as the Good Shepherd brings about Eternal Life.

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15

So how do we follow the Good Shepherd? It is by finding Jesus and abiding in Him. Just like the humble shepherd boys that found Baby Jesus in the manger, we can seek Him and find Him no matter our stature in life. We do not need to be successful, academically gifted, or have a squeaky-clean past to stumble upon Him. He is the one reaching out, and all we have to do is to reach for Him.

"You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." 
Jeremiah 29:13

Day by day, try your best to spend a quiet moment in prayer. Devote time to read and study a bible passage, and try to join a bible study group. Attend mass or worship service every Sunday, and have fellowship with other believers. Follow His commands, live out, and spread the Gospel.

This Christmas, let symbols like the candy cane remind us that only in Jesus Christ will we find true guidance and protection. Only through Him will we experience perfect peace.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on  John 10:1-18 and Psalm 23 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question:  Is the Lord Jesus Christ your Shepherd? Do you hear His voice as you go about your day to day life?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for shepherding me. I am truly grateful for your lovingkindness, mercy, and grace. Allow me to become a shepherd too, so that I can lead others to you. Amen.