What We Need

Lately I've been thinking a lot about what we as Americans feel we need. And more specifically, I've thought a lot about how many people in America do not feel a need for a Savior. It seems to me many people might believe in, worship, and obey Jesus Christ more if they actually felt they needed Him. But since they feel they are doing just fine without Him, they don't bother.

In 1 Nephi 10:6 Nephi says, "Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer." If people realized how lost they are without Him, I think more people would be relying on His grace and doing whatever they could to thank Him for it. It is so crucial to understand our absolute need for a Savior.

As I've thought about this, I've thought about what Americans do feel they need, if it's not a Savior. What do we think we need in order to be happy? I've come up with four answers. The world tell us we need to:

Be beautiful.
Have lots of nice things.
Be more talented than other people.
Be smarter than other people.

And the nasty trick of these four "needs" is that they can never be satisfied. Four examples to illustrate:

Be beautiful:
I watched a clip of the Miss America Reality Show on Saturday night, and do you know what they said? The people in charge said that all of the contestants needed makeovers, and some of them needed "major overhauls." Are you kidding me?! Despite the fact that they had already won their state's beauty competition, they still weren't beautiful enough. The world tells you you must be beautiful to be happy, and then they drag you down saying your hair, face, and whole body needs to be changed in order to meet the standards of beautiful. In short, you will never be beautiful enough, but you must do everything you can to keep trying.

Have lots of nice things:
Last weekend my aunt was telling me that she works for a 65 year old physician who doesn't own a single thing, and is still in major debt. He has nice cars, a nice home, and nice things, but he never feels he has enough, and so he has to buy more things, and get into more debt. Our whole nation is in a plague of debt because of this "need" we think we have to have nice things.

Be more talented than other people
Recently there has been huge media reports about professional athletes taking performing enhancing drugs so that they can hit more home runs, be stronger, and be better at what they do. No matter that they are being paid millions of dollars, are hugely famous, and recognized for being incredible at their sport--they still take drastic measures to be better than everyone else.

Be smarter than other people:
As Chad and I were waiting in line for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert last month, we tried to make small talk with a family in front of us in line. The mother was obviously in a bad mood about their place in line and blaming it on her husband. Chad tried to start up a light-hearted conversation with them to lighten the mood a little bit, and I ended up asking the mother what she did. Big mistake. She proceeded to tell me all about her studies and career goals in an extremely condescending way, using huge words and ridiculous phrases to demonstrate how much smarter than me she was. I came away from talking with her feeling about as small as a pea, but luckily Chad was able to help me see how insecure she must be to have to talk like that in order to feel better than everyone else.

I think Satan is very smart. He says, "Oh no, you don't need a Savior! Bah! What a silly idea! But you know what you do need? You need to be beautiful, rich, talented, and smart--and if you're not, there is absolutely no hope for you to ever be happy." And then he proceeds to make it IMPOSSIBLE to ever feel beautiful enough, rich enough, talented enough, or smart enough. What a jerk!

But you know what, we don't have to listen to him. We can listen to Jesus Christ, who says, "You don't need all of that. You don't need to 'spend [your] money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.' (2 Nephi 9:51) You need Me and My saving grace. Come to Me, and I will give you love, peace, and happines, which is 'most desirable above all things.' (1 Nephi 11:22) Follow Me, and I will change you into a person that you never thought possible to become. (see Moroni 10:32)"

And you know what else He tells us? "My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before Me." (Ether 12:27) His grace is enough! For everyone! Regardless of how beautiful, rich, talented, or smart we are! We can all be happy through Christ's atoning power! Isn't that wonderful?! And here's another wonderful thing about following Him: you realize you ARE beautiful enough, you have enough, and He has given you talents and intelligence enough to lead an extremely fulfilling life.

Oh, how I wish everyone could know of their need for a Savior! Oh, how I wish everyone could know how much better Christ's way is than the world's way! It is infinitely better, and yet Satan is doing a pretty good job of persuading people into thinking it's lame, backwards, and weird. I testify that it is not lame, backwards, and weird. We all need a Savior, and His way is the only way for us to overcome our weaknesses and the challenges of this world--to "gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come" (Introduction to the Book of Mormon).