What is Holding Me Back?

For 8/12/2012

All scriptures are from The Message Version

Abraham Maslow’s assessment of the human condition which he published in 1943 is familiar to any Psych 101 student.  His research led him to believe that the most basic desires of all humans which must be satisfied before any others are the physiological needs; food, water, warmth, rest. Humans will put satisfaction of these needs above all others and cannot effectively deal with other things until they are met. One of the confirmations of this assessment from New Testament times is the subsidized grain and entertainment (“bread and circuses”) that the Roman emperors used to satisfy the masses. Into this Jesus introduces a new take on building a foundation through giving us a new image of the “bread of life”. First let us look at Maslow’s pyramid:

The most fundamental and basic four layers of the pyramid contain what Maslow called "deficiency needs" or "d-needs": esteem, friendship and love, security, and physical needs. With the exception of the most fundamental (physiological) needs, if these "deficiency needs" are not met, the body gives no physical indication but the individual feels anxious and tense. Maslow's theory suggests that the most basic level of needs must be met before the individual will strongly desire (or focus motivation upon) the secondary or higher level needs...

Self Actualization: This level of need pertains to what a person's full potential is and realizing that potential… As mentioned before, in order to reach a clear understanding of this level of need one must first not only achieve the previous needs, physiological, safety, love, and esteem, but master these needs.

• What questions come to mind as you look at the levels? You can learn more than you want to at places like Wikipedia which is where the above come from and others if you do a Google search. Do you have other names you would give any of the levels?
• What does your life’s experience tell you about the validity of Maslow’s theory which by the nature of theories is on the surface simplistic? Can you think of specific situations in which these ideas might have had a role?
• Can you see this as we move from the third world economies to those of the more developed world with resultant improvements in quality of life, innovation, and stability?
• Do you think that some of the horrible acts of violence we see (other than mental illness) might be rooted in a persons’ struggle to deal with a failure to satisfy something that Maslow’s theory identifies?

Into this Jesus introduces the foundation of a new theory:

John 6: 35-38 Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don't really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don't let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me. 39-40"This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time."

• Jesus tell us that he is the bread of life, what does he mean by that? How does this compare with Maslow’s theory, what does a person who aligns with Jesus satisfy in their life? Do we have to be at some point on Maslow’s pyramid in order for us to be open to this message? Are there examples of people who in fact turned to Jesus when basic physiological needs are not being met?
• What does Jesus guarantee about himself to those who align themselves with him? What needs are met for us? Does it fit someplace on the pyramid or not?
• What does he tell us that God wants for us? What is offered? When will wholeness take place?
• How does this understanding of life compare to the picture Maslow gives us? Do they fit together or are they in some ways alternatives? The failure to move from level to level in Maslow’s pyramid mean a life restricted and constrained in some way, how does this fit against the life (pyramid?) Jesus offers?
• Could we construct a spiritual pyramid using various levels to show progression in growth in our faith life? There are many references to spiritual growth, “no prolonged infancies… please” in Ephesians, what are some stages you would identify which help us move from (my arbitrary levels-substitute your own) say conversion to faith? What must we satisfy if we are to grow into a true relationship with God our creator?

It appears that Jesus is offering an alternative to Moslow's hierarchy, telling us to move past the way in which we are wired up as human beings - set ourselves free and live life empowered by the Spirit not our human nature.  But looking at the powerful force that Maslow points out for us we can see how strongly we are pulled back to rely upon our human nature.

• Think about stages you have experienced as you have moved along your faith journey? When you feel stronger or weaker in you spirituality what is present or missing? What are the elements you strive for in growing your faith life?  Included in each of the three levels are some ideas for a Spiritual Pyramid, what would you include in yours? Some scriptures follow which might be useful for ideas, what other scriptures do you think are important?

Conversion

Confession of faith,

Baptism

Bible Study

Church attendance

Financial support of church

Belief

Recognition and use of Spiritual Gifts,

Familiarity with Scripture,

Established a personal theology,

Comfortable sharing personal faith story,

Confidence prayer is answered

Faith

Christlike life,

Loving acceptance

of others,

Sense of transformation,

God's Spirit guides life

1 Corinthians 10:15-18
I assume I'm addressing believers now who are mature. Draw your own conclusions: When we drink the cup of blessing, aren't we taking into ourselves the blood, the very life, of Christ? And isn't it the same with the loaf of bread we break and eat? Don't we take into ourselves the body, the very life, of Christ? Because there is one loaf, our many-ness becomes one-ness—Christ doesn't become fragmented in us. Rather, we become unified in him. We don't reduce Christ to what we are; he raises us to what he is.

Ephesians 4
He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

John 15:5-8
"I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

John 15:11-15
"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

Closing Litany (Psalm 16)

I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell— that's not my destination!
Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way.
Amen

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14 or Proverbs 9:1-6, Psalm 111 or Psalm 34:9-14, Ephesians 5:15-20, John 6:51-58