Nancy Pearcey’s incomparable 2023 book: “The Toxic War on Masculinity; How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes,” cites one study that analyzed twenty-four episodes on the Disney Channel. “The study found that every 3.24 minutes the TV dad acted like a buffoon. About half the time, the child characters reacted with expressions of contempt: rolling eyers making fun of him, criticizing him or turning and walking away.” (p. 198)
What happened to an essential part of our moral core: “Honor your father and mother”? (Exodus 20:12) Pearcey asks: How did fathers go from being respected heads of households to figures of ridicule?
She answers: Almighty, impersonal industrialization. Pearcey develops this father-destructive economic juggernaut and many more.
“Men began to define their contribution to the family primarily in terms of being the ‘breadwinner,’ a word that did not even appear in our vocabulary until 1821. It signified that the families economic support now came from wages earned outside the home.” (p. 195)
By the time Darwin (1809 – 1882) published “On the Origin of the Species”, “winner”, as in survival of the fittest, was clearly emphasized over “bread”.
Standing athwart this onrush of frenzied cultural grandiosity and brutality, Jesus penetratingly asks: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole ‘world’ (Greek: ‘cosmos’) and forfeits his ‘soul’ (‘psyche’)”? (Matthew 16:26) The Greek dictionary defines “soul” as: “The direct aftermath of God breathing His gift of life into a person, making that person an ‘ensouled being.’” Aha!
Now, before continuing with “breadwinner”, let’s consider three startling snapshots the Bible shows of wrongly focusing on gaining the whole world.
Exceedingly handsome Absalom sought to overthrow his father, King David. “Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” (2 Samuel 15:6) Charismatic narcissists like Absalom deceive us. But, God’s judgment came. During battle, Absalom, unexpectedly caught in a tree by his own long-carefully-coiffed-gold-enhanced locks, became a memorable target for multiple spears and suddenly met Death.
King Belshazzar rejected faith, indulging his peers. At a blasphemous banquet entertaining one thousand royals, God wrote judgement on a wall. That night, Belshazzar met Death. Babylon fell. “God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.” (Daniel 5:26)
When Jesus taught: “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions,” he told his audience a story: “The land of a rich man produced plentifully. He said, ‘I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you. The things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:15-21)
Paul understood. He wrote: “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may “gain” (“win”) Christ.” (Philippians 3:8)
Friend, properly chastened let us return to “breadwinner.”
Instead of focusing on “winner”, let’s begin with the Anglo Saxon word for “bread”,“hlaf”, which transformed to become our word “loaf.” The “h” faded away; “a” stayed but was overpowered by a new “o”. Hlaf became loaf. Got it?!
Consider these four Anglo Saxon words paired with hlaf. “Manna” was “heofenlic hlaf” (“heavenly loaf”); “communion bread” was “hlaf mæsse” (“loaf used at mass”); “taking communion“ was “hlaf gang (“loaf going”).
Most interesting for us in this column, we find “breadwinner” was “hlaf-weard (“loaf warden” one who provides/guards bread). By the fourteenth century, “hlaf-weard” lost not only its “h” but also its “f” and “w.” People called this guardian of the loaf: “la-eard” or “laird” and, eventually, “lord!”
So, friend, “breadwinner” greatly predates 1821, the etymological dictionary date cited by Pearcey. The practical history of nobility caring for our daily bread is refreshing. Such history sustains the humble and challenges the upper crust when they lose compassion.
But, there’s much more
Suddenly, we remember the “LORD” whose “compassion never fails.” (Lamentation 3:22)
Imagine God’s delight when English Bible translators adopted “LORD” (“Loaf Warden”) as the English equivalent of Hebrew – “Yahweh.” What a connection! “Yahweh” is: “I am that I am” – the unending Source – holy and eternal but also the personal, intimate, covenant name of God – by far his most frequently used name in Scripture. How grand that God helped the Hebrews understand who he is by this name. And our Anglo Saxon forbearers added new dimensions to the Name above all names, “LORD”.
What a plan God had, taking “LORD” from the Anglo Saxons, a tribe like the Crow tribe of Montana, and flourishing it so that 2 billion English speakers today could utter: “LORD.” Multiplying loves, indeed!
“Bread” also opens the door to the Great Transformation. Astonishingly, Loaf Warden became the Manna/Loaf. After gestating nine months in the virgin’s womb, Loaf Warden was born in “Beth” (“house of”) “lehem” (“bread”); Anglo Saxon: “Hlaf-hus”.
Beginning his public ministry, Manna/Loaf/Lord fasted – starving. Like so many, Jesus knew hunger. On occasion, although he would not turn stone into bread for his own needs, he miraculously multiplied bread to feed thousands. Loaf Warden, indeed.
And Bread of Life, only you can satisfy the dearth caused by our deep spiritual need.
Father, to end that famine, on the cross you ground up, kneaded, your dear, dear willing Son. Crushing the Heaven-sent Kernel of Wheat, you molded the Flour into a Loaf and baked him. And, from this crushing and grinding and kneading and molding and baking on the cross came the Loaf with sweet life for those who would believe. My Life for Yours.
“Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you…my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry.’” (John 6:32ff)
Friend, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) Ask the “LORD” for the whole loaf.
