Most of us probably use the verb need a little too loosely.
Man, my phone is ancient—I’ve had it almost two years—I really need a new one.
These clothes are so last year . . . I need some new ones.
We really need to redecorate the house . . . It’s getting kinda dated, you know?
The automaker convinces us that a four-year-old car that’s missing most of the latest bells and whistles is beneath us . . . We need something better, and now would be perfect (after all, low-interest financing is always available . . .).
Does any of that sound familiar?
One of the drawbacks of living in a culture of prosperity is that we get terribly confused about the difference between needs and wants.
Over the course of a year, most of us get a few gifts—for birthdays or Christmas or whatever. How many of them were genuine needs? Any of them?
I’ve recently bought a few books that I plan to enjoy, but I could live without them (well, maybe).
I got another electronic gadget that I love, but I won’t be able to eat it, and it won’t give me shelter or keep me warm when temperatures start dropping in a few months.
Most of us need God to remind us again of what Paul wrote as he neared the end of one of his letters (written from jail of all places):
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen (Philippians 4:19-20).
Paul reminds us that we need to refuse to buy into the lies that our culture is shouting at us.
We probably don’t really need a lot of what we think we do.
But the needs we actually have?
God’s got them covered.—Chuck
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