What I Do Have I Give to You
There’s little doubt that physical well-being is top of mind when we think about our needs. Having clothes to wear, shelter over our heads (especially this time of year), food to eat, the ability to be clean, have medicine when needed, and so on are top priority needs. Yet, as important as those are, without our social and emotional needs being met (to be loved, wanted, appreciated, accepted), we would shrivel up and die. Maslow took a shot at explaining all of this in his well-known “Hierarchy of Needs,” which is widely taught in school. But as Christians, we have to ask ourselves whether or not we have it right when we focus on the most obvious and immediate of needs or when we require certain needs to be met before we can deal with other, so-called higher needs. And further, we should admit, as followers of Jesus, that one need, in fact, supersedes all others.
As we resume our study in the Book of Acts this Sunday, we’ll look at Acts 3:1-10 and the account of the lame man who was healed as Peter and John entered the Temple one afternoon. We could certainly look at the passage from the vantage point of the Apostles and consider their faith and courage. We could look at it from the perspective of the Lord, seeing his purposes and power at work. And we could also look at it from the lame man’s point of view; that what he thought was his most pressing need that day, was greatly surpassed in the moment Peter said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” As we consider this powerful encounter, we will be challenged to look to Jesus Christ alone to meet our most pressing need.
Resources
The Therapeutic Gospel by David Powlison
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Is Not a Ministry Guide by Susan Mettes, Christianity Today
Holiness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
