Needs or Wants

By Claudia Hanson

“Sale! Sale! Sale! Come one, come all . . .” Who of us has not heard the chant of the local retailers calling consumers to buy the “bargain of the century”? You know, the one you can’t afford to miss. (More correctly, perhaps, the one you can’t afford to own!) The other day, a solicitor called to offer me a free cellular phone. When I declined, the incredulous response was, “But it is free!” His definition of “free” was a little suspect—it most certainly meant something different to me than it did to him!

We have so many wonderful gadgets and widgets available today, that we can find something in most any store that would be fun to have. It might even make our life easier and save us time! Our society has become very materialistic. Is this a problem? You be the judge. Marital counselors say finances are the number one contributing factor to stress in a marriage.

The danger of debt

We are all familiar with bank loans making it easier to satisfy our urges for instant gratification and, consequently, helping us to get deeper into debt. It seems that each day the mail brings invitations offering pre-approved lines of credit. If we are not careful, we can give in to temptation to fill our world with material possessions and lose sight of the true riches of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Recently, I heard about a couple who had accumulated $35,000 in consumer debt and subsequently had to take drastic steps to pay it off. Things they had thought were so important had to be sold for almost nothing in an attempt to help rid themselves of their debt. What a sad commentary on the way many people live!

What’s really important?

God would have us accumulate riches in a place where it is really important. In Matthew 6:20, we are told “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” No alarm systems will be needed up there! Every investment will be paying dividends eternally, and there will be no chance of their being devalued.

I find it interesting to note that two-thirds of Jesus’ parables are related to finances. Christ not only used finances for illustrative purposes, but also inspired Scriptures on the topic to be used as guidelines for daily living.

Other Biblical writers pick up the same theme. In 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Paul counseled Timothy on the blessings of contentment, saying, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” In Luke 3:14, we are instructed to be content with our wages. The wise King Solomon wrote, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).

The value of contentment

Recently, I had a free afternoon and just for fun I drove to an area of new homes and checked out landscaping, home styles, floor plans, etc. As I drove around, my thoughts progressed from, “Too big, wrong location, not enough yard,” to “That would be nice!” Later, as I was working around our house, God brought to mind the Scripture, “Be content with such things as ye have” (Hebrews 13:5). He gently reminded me of how He had supplied our needs (though not necessarily every want!) when my children were young. It was often a challenge to get a well-balanced meal on the table at the end of the month. I remember a time when our finances were especially tight. When I told the children we only had enough money for bread and milk, they quickly had a solution. “Mommy, just write a check or use a credit card. Then you don’t need money!” I’ve had many a chuckle over that financial strategy. Still, God was always there for our family, and each month every need was met and every bill paid, even when it didn’t seem possible that the money would stretch.

As Christians we cherish our inward serenity and close relationship with God. To preserve that relationship, we must be aware of the difference between needs and wants. Remember, Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).  Where is your treasure?

Claudia Hanson is supervisor of the foreign translation department at the Apostolic Faith Church International Headquarters in Portland, Oregon.