Another thought that came while reading The Exemplary Husband had to do with what our needs are versus our wants. How would you define what your needs are? Really, think about that for a second - what are your needs?
Stuart Scott (that would be the author of the book) defines what are needs are, basically as this: Needs are things without which God's work cannot get accomplished. I like it.
So, what are some things that we think are needs:
Running water? I remember hearing the story of a missionary family that went to stay at a church, and the "missions quarters" where they were put up did not have running water - and it was a hot day... Running water sure would have been nice...
Two cars? I had to get a ride to work Monday because our van is in the shop. It really would have been nice to have a second car...
One car? Do we forget how new the idea of an automobile is...
Credit Cards? Television? Telephone? Microwave? Shoes? My trip to Zambia a few years back aswers those ones for me...
"Needs" are the things without which God's word cannot be accomplished. Think about what you consider to be a "need," and then think about these:
What did John the Baptist NEED while in prison? Did God fail to supply John the Baptist's needs? I mean, he was beheaded. John Baptist probably thought that he needed some way to escape, or that he needed a good lawyer...
What did the Apostle Paul NEED during his involuntary fasts? God did not provide him food for days at a time. If you had asked Paul, I bet he would have said that he needed some food. Don't we all consider daily food to be a need for us... Did God fail to supply Paul's need?
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
If God will provide the needs of His faithful, and yet at times His people have gone without some of the most basic things of life, then I think we have to look back at Scott's idea of a need.
Needs are those things without which God's work cannot be accomplished.
Just a thought...
2 comments:
Great thought Andy. It is really easy to get caught up in all of the things that we have around us and to start thinking of them as things that we need. Why is it in America that we have so much, are rich beyond belief, yet we complain and have so many unmet "needs"?
We are rich, increased with goods, and have need of nothing. And we don't know that we are poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked.
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