What Rates High on Your Hierarchy of Needs Scale?

What inspires western civilizations to put so much emphasis on the need for happiness? As basic physiological and safety needs are secured, more attention is given to happiness and the need for comfort and pleasure. When basic needs are threatened, happiness drops on the priority scale.

If you were to rate your happiness on a scale of zero to ten, what would be your actual score? Psychologist Abraham Maslow devised a hierarchy of needs scale, with physiological and safety needs coming first and the need for love and belonging being next. Yet, belonging to a family or other relationships may not generate happiness.

The wonderful thing about true happiness is, it’s contagious. Matthew 5:21 tells of a landowner who was so pleased with his servants that he invited them to share in his happiness. You can invite others to share in the happiness you enjoy as a Christian and in what it means to a be a son or daughter of the Lord God. 

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I hear about your faith in our Lord Jesus and about your love for all of God’s people. As you share your faith with others, I pray that they may come to know all the blessings Christ has given us. My friend, your love has make me happy and has greatly encouraged me. It has also cheered the hearts of God’s people.

~Philemon 1:5-7 Contemporary English Version

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