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The Sand Dollar Story

In this article, we will explore the wonderful sand dollar story and how this legend can remind us of Christ through His birth and resurrection.

Usually, on Think About Such Things, I like to dig deep into Biblical topics like symbolism, word studies, and more. But every once in a while, I like to share light-hearted stuff that still draws us closer to the Lord. I recently finished up a poem called the Fishermen’s Prayer and today I want to share another known as The Sand Dollar Story or The Legend of the Sand Dollar.

It’s a beautiful poem that speaks of Christ through the sand dollar shell. I think this poem would be great to share at Sunday school or in a small group for children, teens, and even adults.

The Sand Dollar Story

Before we check out the poem, I thought it might be helpful to look at what a sand dollar is, and even later on in the post, I share some Bible verses that connect with The Sand Dollar Story and a free printable!

What is a Sand Dollar?

A sand dollar is a species of flat, round, burrowing sea urchin that is typically found on sandy beaches. They have a hard, disc-like skeleton that is usually white or gray in color and is covered in small spines. Sand dollars are often found washed up on the shore and are sometimes collected as souvenirs. They are also sometimes used for decorative purposes or for use in crafts. In some species of sand dollars, the tests (shell) are used in pharmacological research for the treatment of various diseases.

The Sand Dollar Legend (Poem)

The Sand Dollar Legend
There's a wonderful little legend
That I would like to tell
Of the birth and death of Jesus
Found in this lowly shell

If you examine closely,
You'll see that you find here
Four nail holes and a fifth one
Made by a Roman's Spear.

On one side the Easter Lily,
Its center is the star
That appeared unto the wisemen
And led them from afar.

The Christmas poinsettia
Etched on the other side
Reminds us of His birthday
Our Happy Christmastide.

Now break the center open
And here you will release
The five white doves awaiting
To spread Good Will and Peace.

This simple little symbol,
Christ left for you and me
To help us spread his Gospel
Through all eternity.

Bible Verses that Connect with the Legend of the Sand Dollar

If you are using The Sand Dollar Legend as a study for church or even for yourself, here are scripture verses to help with the poem. I hope they bless you!

*All scripture below is from the NIV. If you would like to check out other translations, check out Biblegateway.org. It’s a great site to help you dig into the Bible!

The Nails and Roman Spear

At the crucifixion of Christ, nails were driven into His hands and feet. Then after a while, the Roman soldier pierced His side to make sure Jesus was dead.

 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. – John 19:34

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. – Zechariah 12:10

The Star at Christ’s Birth (The Star of Bethlehem)

The Magi traveled far to follow that star that they knew would lead them to the Messiah! They had studied the ancient prophecies of the Old Testament and knew the times and seasons of God. Learn more by checking out 11 Unusual Facts about the Magi in the Bible.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” – Matthew 2:1-2

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. – Matthew 2:9-10

The Birth of Christ

There are many messianic scriptures that foretell the birth of the coming Christ, and we see these prophecies come to life in the New Testament. Below are two scriptures from the book of Isaiah speaking of His birth and the fulfillment in the book of Matthew.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. -Isaiah 9:6

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. – Isaiah 7:14

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us” – Matthew 1:23

The Dove

Starting from the book of Genesis all the way into the New Testament, we see the dove as a symbol for the Holy Spirit. In the poem, we see it mentions five doves. This is because when you crack open a sand dollar, five little pieces fall out that look like doves. The number 5 in the Bible represents God’s grace. Jesus was broken on calvary so that we could have received His grace, and it was His death and resurrection that led to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit!

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. – Matthew 3:16

When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. – Genesis 8:11

FREE Printable of The Sand Dollar Story

I have created this lovely little The Sand Dollar Story printable for you! It’s 100% free, and all you have to do is click the image below to download it. If you enjoy this printable, consider signing up for my newsletter and gaining access to many more free Christian printables!

Sand dollar story printable

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