Bread. Something so simple, so common, yet so essential to life. Here in the country I'm visiting, bread is looked at much differently than in the West. There's a bakery across the street from my apartment where I can buy a 1/2 kilo of fresh pita bread for about 0.75USD. Earlier today, I stopped at a tiny supermarket and bought a pack of 6 hamburger buns and a pack of 6 sub rolls for about 1.80USD. Obviously, bread costs much less here than in the States (because it is subsidized by the government). However, bread is also highly respected culturally. Even at such a low price, bread is always viewed as a blessing - to the point that it is taboo to throw it away. Even if the bread has gone bad or is stale, it cannot be thrown away. Rather, the bread is set outside near the trash or placed in a bag that is tied to a tree or another high place.
Every time I see bread like this on the street, I am reminded of John 6 where Jesus says, "...The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world...I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again..." Jesus is even more easily accessible and valuable than bread in Jordan (even though sadly many are unaware of this). Physical bread may be a fleeting blessing but Jesus is an eternal blessing. He is so much more satisfying and worthy of respect than a physical piece of bread. Will you join me in praying that all people groups would see Jesus as "the bread of life," not only a necessity, but also easily accessible and a great blessing?
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