Recently in a neighboring state, an unsuspecting Walmart manager caused an uproar by deciding that baby strollers were not essential. Perhaps he didn't need a stroller, a baby monitor, or a crib, but let me tell you, some people absolutely do. And boy, did he ever hear about it....
At the same time, I was asking one of ECM's country directors about the hardships faced by those in his country, and about the items that were most necessary during this difficult time. Funny, he didn't mention baby strollers, or a lot of other things that we might have mentioned, for that matter.
He said food. His people needed food.
Now, I know that food is not the only thing that people need, but his answer sure did highlight for me a stark difference between our countries. No one in America would say that we don't need food. Of course we do. It's just that we always have food. It's just a given to most Americans, even during this pandemic. It's like saying that oxygen is essential to life. It's true of course, but really, when was the last time there wasn't any?
His answer also highlights an important aspect of ministry to the human race: meeting physical needs. When he expressed to me the need for food, he wasn't saying that spiritual needs were not important, and he wasn't even implying that they are not most important. He was just saying that right now, food is more important than Bibles or sermons, neither of which you can eat.
Don't get hung up on trying to figure out what the necessities of life are, and which are most important. I for one would not like to be a Walmart manager trying to decide what is essential for an ever more aggravated US population! As Christians, we are called to meet needs when and where we see them. See a hungry person, feed them. See a poor person, clothe them. See a person hungry for truth, tell them about Jesus. When you meet these needs and countless others, you are sharing the good news of Jesus with a world in need. And that, my friends, is essential.
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