Need vs. Want

I just spent a few minutes looking back and reading last January’s journal entries.  I was specifically looking for any I had written about setting goals.  I’m not much of a resolution maker, but I do like to set a few goals as a guide to direct me in a more positive direction.  I didn’t find any entries with anything in the title about goals, but I did find one entitled “Top 10 Things I want in 2008.”  You can click on the link if you’re curious.

The interesting thing is, I can still use all 10 of these for 2009.  I still “want” everything that was on my list in 2008 and I’m going to continue to work on each of these.  The wants on my list tend to be more like goals, so it’s pretty easy for me to carry them over, because I still “need” to work on them.  Or maybe I was just so focused and had such clarity on the goals I set for 2008, they are good enough for 2009.  I’m pretty sure that’s not the case, but either way they are still applicable.

As far as needs verses wants, there are plenty of things I need in my life and those needs generally fall in the area of self-improvement.  When it comes to wants I rank up there with the greediest of Americans and have a pretty large list of wants.  Most of the time they fall in the area of material possessions, so I have to work extremely hard to find the right balance between satisfying my own desires and meeting the needs of others.

I think the key between needs and wants is looking for wants that line up with what God desires for his people to do.  With the smorgasbord of advertising we are bombarded with every minute of the day, it’s easy and almost natural for me to think “I want a new TV for my family room” and I might even think I need it.  But, since we just won a TV at my company Christmas party, which we put in our game room, do I really need a new one in my family room too?  Does spending more money on another TV that will rarely get watched make much sense?  No!  But, the empire of individualism, consumerism, and our addiction to stuff, often overrules what really makes good logical sense.

Now if I made it a habit or practice to start lining my wants up with what God desires for his people, then it would make more sense and be more logical for me to take the same amount of money I crave to spend on another TV and sponsor a child with Compassion International.  It’s going to cost me about $430 to purchase a 32″ LCD for my family room and I can sponsor a child with CI, for a whole year, for only $384.  I actually save myself money by helping someone else.  In my opinion, that would be lining up my wants with what God desires for his people.

Certainly I don’t think it’s wrong to want things and we all have times when we need something, like a new dryer when the old one goes out.  I’m not saying it’s wrong to want and need, but I am saying it’s about time for all of us to get our priorities straight and start wanting for the right and appropriate things.  According to the world’s standards, the people who will read this article, are rich beyond measure.  I think it’s time we all start doing something with our riches to help this world be a better place for EVERYONE to live.

And to my friends who are likely to read this and were part of the TV conversation on Sunday, in spite of what you might think, I’m not picking on you!  This is purely about how I’m feeling towards the purchase of another TV for our family room!

COMPASSION BLOG MONTH

 

Everyone…HERE is the link to all the bloggers who are on the Compassion trip to Uganda.  If you are passionate about Africa, children, poverty, the world, then you should go and check these blogs out.  They will rock you to your core!  Peace!

UGANDA: THE BURDEN OF WEALTH

 

I’ve been struggling with bloggers block this week and I haven’t been able to think of something marvelous to write about.  Until now!  After reading the blog post this morning over at Flowerdust.net I now know why I’ve had this block.  You are supposed to be reading Anne’s blogs this week, not mine!  What she is doing and experiencing should be read by everyone in American this week.  Read it!  Be convicted!  Do something!

WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU SPENT $9.

SPONSOR A CHILD