What We Need

Something I noticed when I was on a mission trip to Mexico is that the people there are very satisfied living with a lot less than we do. In fact, I found that in many ways, the people in Reynosa were much more giving and hospitable than many people I know in Canada. Anyone who has been to a developing or third world country would agree with these statements. If we think that being satisfied and giving are good things (which I think we should) then we must ask what is wrong with us?

Now, of course we could say 'materialistic culture' and everyone would nod their heads and go "mmhmm" and leave it at that. But what exactly does it mean that we live in a materialistic culture?

When North Americans go shopping, what do we go shopping for? Theoretically, the purpose of shopping is to get things we need, right? Is that what we buy? Recently, as I was considering what to wear for a Christmas event, I thought I should go out to buy a tie that does well with a black shirt. Currently, I have two navy ties and one red one. As I considered ties in a catalog, it dawned on me that I didn't really need a tie that goes with black... I can wear a white shirt instead and it'll be fine. Some people I know would tell me that I need the black tie because otherwise I can't wear my black shirt with a suit, but that would imply that I need to wear my black shirt with a suit. But I don't really, do I?

It's my opinion that in North America, we've badly misdefined the concept of need. Jesus tells us that he will provide everything we need if we put our faith in him. Do we agree with that? Are we satisfied with the things God has given us?

Paul says we should be content with food and clothing, for godliness with contentment is great gain. We tend to spend so much time thinking about things we want, we turn those into 'needs' very quickly. We don't take the opportunity to step back at look at the situation, which would undoubtedly lead to us realising that we really do have all that we need. It's our desire to own better and more classy things that lead us to believe we need things that are really not necessary. People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

Now, the last time I checked, none of us need (or want) to fall into ruin or destruction, so perhaps it's time to re-evaluate our definitions of 'need' and 'want' before we run up debts so high that we become slaves to our consumerism. It's not that God doesn't want us to have any luxuries (the streets of heaven are reportedly paved with gold) but we should try to view everything with more accurate definitions of what we need and what we want.