Welcome to the KUW Insight Podcast. Today’s insight is titled Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs written by Ade Ojomo and read by Morenike Olubode:
- What do you classify as a need?
- What do you classify as a want?
- Do we really know what we need or what we want?
I had an interesting debate within myself regarding the validity of Maslow’s Law regarding the hierarchy of our basic needs.
His law is of the schools of thought that each of these levels must be adequately satisfied starting at physiological needs and working toward self-actualization needs.
He defined the following areas in ascending orders:
1. Physiological needs: – basic body needs:- food, water, air
2. Safety need: – security in life and jobs
3. Belonging needs: – love, friendship, relationships
4. Esteem needs: – appreciation, to be loved
5. Cognitive needs: understanding, knowledge
6. Aesthetic needs: order, beauty, design, harmony
7. Self-Actualisation: operating within our potential.
Looking deeply at this hierarchy and the order in which they are stated; no mention of spiritual needs, the closest to such a category are highlighted in point 3, 4 or 7.
We hear such phrases like “a hungry man is an angry man” and on some occasions, I have heard evangelical strategies advocate feeding before preaching to “hungry unbelievers” to facilitate effectiveness in the ministration.
I hope nothing has been missed in my line of thinking; because based on my understanding of words spoken by Jesus in Matthew 6 v 33, the following is highlighted.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
The kingdom of God is related to righteousness, peace and joy in a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus also encouraged us with these words from Deuteronomy 8 v 3:
So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
In my conclusion of this discussion, I feel the hierarchy needs to be updated with the spiritual dimension forming the foundational base of the most important need because:
1. In him we Live,
2. In Him, we Breathe
3. In Him, we have our sense of existence
Goodbye and until the next KUW Insight,
Shalom – Love Never Fails
