Every family has certain needs. (There was probably no need for me to say that, we all know that we have needs.) Some of these needs are basic physical needs: food, clothing, and shelter. In the aftermath of earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, and flooding rivers these basic needs are in an immediate state – people need these needs met NOW. As Christians we do well when we reach out to meet those needs.
However, there are other needs that disasters cannot take away. One Christian in an area hit by a tornado on this date in 2011 had this to say two days after the storm, “I have everything I need.” What you need to know is that this lady lost her entire home and much of what her and her husband collected over the last 50 years. What did she mean, when she said, “I have everything I need”?
Do I have everything I need?
I believe she may have had the following needs in mind at the very least:
- Love: A family cannot survive without love. In speaking to the spiritual family of God in Rome, the apostle Paul states: “Outdo one another in showing honor” Rom 12:10. That is love in action!
- Commitment: A family will not cope with tragedy of any kind if there is no commitment to each other. There is a reason most marriages include the phrase “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health.” That reason includes our human need for someone to remain committed to us even when life turns against us. Again the apostle Paul has something to say about this, “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2). Commit to each other.
- Togetherness: Families need time together. This time can be as simple as sitting around a dinner table, cozied up to a fire in cold weather, playing games together, or as complicated as a family vacation to a theme park or national park. Togetherness promotes trust, demonstrates care and support, and speaks of our love.
Take time today to celebrate your family, your blessings, and to focus on real needs.
-Scott
Driving Thought 