Man does not live on bread alone. Bread is necessary, but in order to sustain true life, mankind must live on every word that comes from the mouth of God. -- Jesus (Mt. 4:4)

Dear Lizzie Mae,

The lyrics occur in Billy Joel's ballad about a man who plays the piano in a piano bar. In this song, Joel sings of sadness, loneliness and broken dreams of being a star. Apparently the patrons think he should be. Of course, we all know what happened.

The "jar" of which he sings, is a jar sitting on the piano, put there on purpose to collect tips. The patrons who like the piano man's music, drop bills, or "bread" in the jar. It is from this "bread," and the small stipend the bar provides, that paid his bills.

The bread we eat is no metaphor. In this life we couldn't live if we didn't eat. I love cornbread, or even better "cracklin' bread." If you don't know what that is, you ain't from the South.

It is worthy of note that Jesus became hungry AFTER his resurrection. He ate earthly food in the upper room just to prove he was real. Then he prepared a fish breakfast for himself and the disciples. In my research for "The Justus Scrolls," I discovered that the dominant fish species in the Sea of Galilee is none other than Talapia!

Not sure I could have handled that. Ever had a fish breakfast? Several years ago, a friend, my son and I went on a week-long canoeing trip on the Aubinadong river in the wilderness of Canada. We caught 105 trout that week. We had fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Nothing in the world like fresh trout.

But this hardly the point Jesus was making in his dialogue with Satan. The bread in his jar concerned life here and now. It concerned absolute life, life that cannot be diminished, life that will never end. Not by broken dreams. Not by hunger. Not by anything.

That kind of life comes only from the Word of God. Note the capitalization. The "Word of God," is not only the Bible; in fact it is not even primarily the Bible. The Word of God is Jesus, himself. He, and he alone has shown us the Father. He, and he alone, gives true life.

Feast your heart on Jesus, and true life, absolute, irreducible, eternal life -- is yours.

Bread in your jar.

I know, I know, Lizzie Mae, in heaven you have all the bread you can handle. Save some for me.

-- PDM

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