Basic Necessities

This blog isn’t sharing specifics on what the Lord has shown me lately… it’s simply my thoughts of today. He may be using this and teaching me something, since He always guides me in ways I don’t even realize He is – but I don’t have biblical truths to share at this point that will back up my “thoughts”. I may later on that will confirm them, but currently I don’t so this is just sharing what’s going on inside this crazy head of mine.

I was briefly talking to a friend yesterday on the phone, and maybe it’s the state my heart is in lately and the renewed attachment to this dear friend that produces certain realizations after conversing with them. I really haven’t figured it out yet. We didn’t have the time nor opportunity to discuss “deep” things and we rarely do these days, but the special part of the conversation is just getting to listen to and talk with that friend. In that short span we basically talked about our days or what we’ve been up to in very condensed snipets and not the full story and everything we’re up to. Somehow though, I got off the phone contemplative but at the same time not sure what exactly I was thinking about. I think some of the following may be what it was as I’m piecing things together this morning.

I’m realizing lately just how much I take the simple things and basic necessities for granted. Yesterday wasn’t the start of it, it’s been a gradual realization and it’s continuing even as I write and live my day.

Clean water.
Training for this half marathon for Team World Vision has been opening my eyes quite a bit. I mean, I KNEW in my head that people don’t always have access to clean water and I “knew” that many died from disease and lack of clean water. It’s becoming clearer though in my heart how easily it is to overlook something so seemingly small. I can go fill up my water bottle for my run from the water pumping right in my home. I don’t have to walk for miles to get water that’s dirty and disease ridden with bacteria of different varieties – I don’t really have to worry about that (sad). I’ve thought about this a few times when I go to fill my glass with water… but is that even enough, to just think about it? Or should I be actively doing more to make sure someone else can have access to clean water?

I read this morning on the World Vision blog that 884 million people don’t have access to safe drinking water worldwide… that’s A LOT of people. I could have easily been placed in that category had I been born elsewhere. Instead I’m blessed by the grace of God to be where I am and to have access to clean water. I should be thanking God every single day for my clean water, but do I? No, because it’s a simple necessity I’ve always been used to and had access to.  I haven’t ever experienced what it’s like to drink dirty water, or to not be able to drink water at all.  If you remember even your basic studies in grade school, you know that the body is made up of 70% water. When you can’t hydrate your body with clean water, what in the world does that do to the physical person? It’s terrible… and I have never experienced it, but 884+ million people have – and I just take my clean water for granted because I’ve always had access to it.

It’s so silly because we all “know” this, but rarely actively do anything about it. We think that our money going to provide clean water to someone could be put to better use or that our time to put in building a well will just be a waste. I’ve been guilty of this thought process because I’m ignorant to what lacking clean water looks and feels like.

I literally just walked away from this writing to go fill up my water bottle because it was empty. I walked maybe 20 feet to do it… I didn’t even have to walk 20 yards. It’s a hard realization at how easily I overlook and take this simply life necessity for granted. I really don’t want to do that anymore.

Food.
Many people lack access to food. They go hungry or starve on a daily basis. Or they lack access to nutritious and healthy food. So often I forget this when I grab a sandwich or a cookie. How dare I? Take something so basic so for granted. I don’t have the statistics in front of me on the amount of people who go hungry each day and wonder where or if their next meal will come. Or they eat high calorie meals out of bags that are anything but proper fuel for the body…

This link has some brief facts on hunger…
http://www.30hourfamine.org/hunger/hunger-facts

Sleep.
This is kind of a random basic necessity to mention… but it’s one that just yesterday hit me hard. Although I have thought about the two necessities above. Sleep is one of those that I had never thought of that I actually took for granted or that it could even be taken for granted. But man, I really did overlook this realization – I over-use this basic necessity without considering the people around me who give up sleep to serve their family or other people. When you go without it is when you realize the necessity of it.  The body needs sleep, it’s how you recover and keep yourself healthy… sometimes people either have a disorder that keeps them from sleeping or their job requires them to go without sleep for long periods or stress keeps them from sleeping, etc. I do not want to take this for granted, or the people in my life who go without it because of a higher priority, or the people around the world who cannot sleep for fear of their lives.

Time. Family. Friendships. Parents. Siblings. Grandparents. Children. Walking. Our Minds. Freedom. Memories. Job. Health. Jesus. Etc. The list can go on and on… and I’ve been thinking about many of these things so often lately. I want to actively stop taking these things for granted, and want to do something about it so others can have access to these basic necessities.  Complaining is never an option, whether it be about finances, your “hard life”, your job, your school, or anything… as a follower of Christ, I should not complain – I should not take my blessings for granted – I should not neglect my relationship to my Father.

If you’re going through a tough time financially… there’s someone who has it worse off than you, so rejoice in your circumstances and praise God for what He has given you. I find that if I turn my eyes upon Jesus, He shows me things where I do not lack and I’m able to be thankful – then turn my efforts to serving Him by helping another. I have no excuses then to act any certain way or take anything for granted. He is compelling, and blasts out every nook and cranny of my heart where He doesn’t reign… including the simple basic necessities. If I take everything else for granted, one thing I should NEVER continue to is Jesus Christ and the cross He bore for me and the sin He carried and died for on behalf of the world. He is the goal, He calls us to Himself, and we are to be His devoted love-slaves/followers who personally and intimately know Him. With someone as compelling as this, once we stop taking HIM for granted… naturally His nature in us will begin to stop taking the other basics for granted.

2 comments / Add your comment below

  1. This is so true. We take for granted too many things, and also consider ourselves entitled to SO much that is extremely superfluous. Beautiful writing, and beautiful truth!

  2. Thank you so much for the comment, Helena! :) I totally agree with what you said, it’s sad that we do consider ourselves entitled to such things. God is really breaking me, gently but boldly in this area.

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