Luke 4:4 … By bread Alone (03/02/17)
“One does not live by bread alone.” ~ Jesus (Luke 4:4)
First & foremost, it should be clearly stated that the one who lives in the purest expression of Love need not live on bread at all – that those who choose to Love perfectly (i.e. in humble deeds of willing self-sacrifice for others) receive all the sustenance they need therefrom. Indeed, this is why it is so often witnessed that aid workers can go many days without food or sleep and yet remain fully energized when responding to a tragedy …
Yes, it is true that these moments are often few & far between – and thus that the vast majority of sentient beings do indeed need to partake of food & water & rest on a regular basis. And yet this is so not because these things are inevitably needed by us, but rather because the majority of us are tempted to seek these desires and submit to them (much like Satan was attempting to get Jesus to do in Luke 4 — see also Matthew 4:1-11); in essence, to make our own needs more important than the needs of others; to be served rather than to serve (see Matthew 20:28).
Just as important, we see here the mention of “bread” – a metaphor Jesus consistently used to describe acts of selfless service, with the emphasis being placed on the selflessness of those deeds. For it is true indeed that it is not enough to merely “do good deeds” without founding the same in conscious intentions of serving others therewith. It is not enough to “be good” unless those actions are imbued with the desire to have them bring others some measure of solace – unless those deeds are soaked fully in the “wine” of unconditional Love (see Matthew 26:26-28 et al).
Amen … Let it be so.
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