The Authentic Eternal Hierarchy of Needs:

 Hi Again,

For some reason I have been thinking today about Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. Many therapist, since the 1940s, have bought into these. What does Maslow say, in order of importance, are the needs of human beings? I have heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, rather than go into detail of what this man said, and which many have truly bought into, let's check out the Maslow graphic I have provided. 

This all seems simple, and it appears self evident.

Another Viewpoint

I have another viewpoint that addresses the eternal. Maslow only deals with the temporal here and now, and doesn't take an individual beyond the realm of these very limited years of existence, related to the human body, that is weak, grows stronger, becomes weak, and then it dies.  I want to mention what I believe are God's Hierarchy of Needs:  

Spiritual

What is foundational, to me, starts with the Spiritual. If our spirit is dead, and not brought to life through faith in Jesus, the Savior of the World, then their is no way a person can be fully alive. If God, indeed, has caused us to be born again, that is He resurrected our spirits, we become conscience of God and what God is doing. We become aware of His creative work in us, and through us. This sets the stage for everything else that matters. The Apostle Paul says that people who know not Jesus, God's Messiah, are spiritually dead people who are "Dead in our trespasses and sins." Such people are quite literally the walking dead.

Emotionally

Our next most important need is related to our emotional state of being: I served as a man who was credentialed as a Fellow in The College of Chaplains. Later I became a Board Certified Chaplain. Additionally, I was a Clinical Member of the American Association of Clinical Pastoral Educators. Still too I earned the credentials of a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor and a Presidential Member of AACC.  I tell you this because God used my degrees, as well as these credentials, to serve, not only as a Pastor, a Military Chaplain, but also A Mental Health Chaplain for The Veterans Administration. I observed numerous emotional issues going on in the lives of Veterans. 

I had a huge advantage over Psychologist and Social Workers at MVAMC. I could help people find life and emotional balance, based on the Clinical skills I have, but more importantly the Spiritual foundation God will give to all who seek him. Without emotional well being, based on salvation grace, Maslow's Hierarchy of needs collapses like a house of cards. They don't even mention the importance of the spiritual and the spiritual's impact on our other needs. Once God's Holy Spirit becomes active with the suffering person's spirit, as Jesus resurrects that human spirit, fulfilling life begins to  occur via Spiritual Direction and mentoring. Consequently, emotional balance begins to occur. People begin letting go of fear, and they begin experiencing power, love and a sound mind. Without this second  level of healing occurring, based on healthy/Holy spirituality, none  of the other needs could ever happen.

Relational

From the very beginning, we were, and still are, made for relationship. Being alone, or isolated simply is not "good." Or as The Creator said of our earliest male ancestor, "It is not good for man to be alone." Finding our relationship with God, through believing in Jesus, and receiving Him as Savior and Lord, provides for the ultimate relationship. Jesus gives us the way, the truth and the life, and the only way to connect with God, and be in relationship with God. As we are made spiritually alive, and our emotions find balance, in Christ, the potential of this vital need being fulfilled, the need for relationship, begins to grow. We not only receive the grace to "Love the Lord our God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, we tend to be lovers of ourselves, and thereby are empowered to love others as ourselves. We are empowered to relate by practicing "The Golden Rule." We have the ability to, by God's grace, treat others as we would like to be treated.

Financial

The next need is financial. We need money. Some think money is evil. It is not. Jesus said more about money than anyone in the New Testament; however,  the Bible is clear:  God actually gives us power to get wealth with a purpose. As the Word says, "He has given you power to get wealth to establish His covenant. Deuteronomy 8:18. God's Eternal Covenant is a Divine relational thing based on being empowered to have emotional balance, which is based on the spiritual. You may read Hebrews 9:12; 10: 10-24, and you will see the core of God's Covenant.

 God does not want us to keep this Covenant to ourselves, which is the Covenant bought and paid for by the blood and body of Jesus the Messiah, who is also "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World." For thousands of years God actually empowers people to get wealth to "establish His Covenant." Deuteronomy 8:18. God paid the price to establish the Covenant, and we are given wealth, we need wealth, to use it to pay for this distribution of that for which God has paid. 

We fail miserably, and become spiritually, emotionally, and relationally anemic, when we don't provide for this need by keeping the finances that God gives us just to ourselves. God's purpose for our wealth is establish His Covenant on this earth, if we do not so, our Hierarchy of needs comes tumbling down.

Physical

Finally, the next important level of our needs involves the physical. Again, our physical well being is important, but we need to keep in mind that our physical presence, and purpose, is for our bodies to be "The Temple of The Holy Spirit." 1 Corinthians 3:16; additionally, we make a huge mistake even thinking, much less acting on the deception, that it's "my body," and it's "my life," so we will do what we want with it. 

Think about 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of The Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are NOT your own; You were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies. 

Therefore, to be fully healthy/holy, in our bodies, we need to make sure we allow the Holy Spirit to be in control of this vessel we call the human body, and the we need to be sure we allow the Holy Spirit to accomplish in us, and through us. what God wants in order for us to be fully alive.

Self Check

This brings us to some important questions. And I want to challenge you to a self check for living in accordance with God's Hierarchy of Needs.  

1. How is your God conscientiousness? Is the Lord Jesus now Lord, and Savior, of your life. Because He lives, have you surrendered yourself to Him that your spirit has been resurrected, and you are, therefore, born again? This is the foundational need of all needs without which there is NO life. 

2. Do you daily give God your emotional state of being in order that He may be the healer, and the one who helps bring balance to your emotional state?  Do you seek Him to not have the spirit of fear, but to have power, love and a sound mind? 

3. Do you seek to relate to others, by first being in relationship with God? Do you surrender to receive the power to love God with all your being, and to be able to love others, maybe even the unlovable? Do you earnestly practice treating others the way you want to be treated? 

4. What are you doing with the wealth God is giving you. Are you tithing or more? Are you giving towards His Kingdom work? Are you getting God's God given wealth, and are you using a portion to establish His Covenant? 

5. Are you dedicating you body to the Lord, daily? Are you presenting your body, "as a living sacrifice to God, which is your spiritual act of worship each day? Who is in charge of your body that God actually owns. How is your body dedicated to God.

Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life, and have a full life." John 10:10b. He makes this possible by giving you these Hierarchy of needs, and by supplying all your needs according to His riches in glory, if you surrender these needs to Him.

Be Blessed Today, Especially This Precious Gift of Today.

SoJourner 

God Bless You,

SoJourner