How much do I really need?

There are many people today that are trying something new. 

They are building small houses trying to see just how little it takes to get along and live comfortably if one’s health and attitude allows them to. 

Just how much “stuff” does a person really need? 

Growing up and living in a materialistic society has convinced most of us that we need a whole bunch of “stuff” in order to survive when the real truth is you only need food and water, clothing and shelter. If we all took inventory of our “stuff” I am sure that we would find that we don’t need 98 percent of what we have.

As followers of Jesus Christ we need to be careful of the influence of materialism. We follow a Savior who had no place to lay His head (Luke 9:58) and refused an opportunity to possess “all the kingdoms of the world” (Matthew 4:9). 

Jesus taught that we need not worry about what we will eat, drink, or wear, but make seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness our top priority and God will supply those sustaining necessities to us. Our problem lies in that we believe a person who has only the basics of life is the poorest of poor and we pity them because of this perceived poverty. Yet that is exactly the type of person that Jesus was.

The Bible teaches that “contentment with godliness is great gain” and we should be content in the state of living we find ourselves in. So next time you think you just can’t get by without that gadget, appliance, vehicle or house then take a moment and ask yourself, “How much do I really need?”