According to Their Needs and Wants

Mormon described how the people of Alma took care of one another in these words: “And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given. And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul. And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants” (Mosiah 18:27-29). They were to give of their substance to those in need, and those that had more should import more abundantly. The word wants is an interesting one here because it can mean one of two things. According to one online dictionary, it can be “grave and extreme poverty that deprives one of the necessities of life” or it can be simply “something wanted.” In other words, it might just be a synonym for the noun needs that it is often found with, or it could mean what is wanted/desired. The phrase we commonly hear that comes to mind as I think about this verse is that “beggars can’t be choosers.” But if in this verse “wants” really means what is desired—even more than what is strictly needed—perhaps the Lord feels differently.    

            There is similar language in several passages of the Doctrine and Covenants, and to me these suggest that there is indeed a difference between wants and needs. In giving direction to the bishop, the Lord said, “Wherefore, let my servant Edward Partridge, and those whom he has chosen, in whom I am well pleased, appoint unto this people their portions, every man equal according to his family, according to his circumstances and his wants and needs” (Doctrine and Covenants 51:3). Another verse similarly says, “Nevertheless, inasmuch as they receive more than is needful for their necessities and their wants, it shall be given into my storehouse” (Doctrine and Covenants 70:7). Both of these passages highlight what is needed with the words “needs” and “necessities,” but also what one “wants.” If that latter word is not simply a restatement of the words needs, then it must indicate some desires that are not strictly necessary. Perhaps the most important clarification comes in this verse: “And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his wants are just” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:17). That final statement to me suggests that the Lord does indeed mean something different by wants than needs. Here He suggested that not just any want (desire) should be fulfilled for those receiving help, but desires that are just should be granted. To me these passages highlight that when we help those who are in need, their wants (desires) should matter to some extent in addition to their strict basic needs. Perhaps that is why those who receive food assistance from the Church, for example, go to the Bishop’s Storehouse and shop for themselves (i.e. they get to pick what they want, within certain limits). It seems to me that the Lord respects both the needs and the desires of people, even those who are “beggars.” We should treat with dignity those who perhaps need assistance in their lives by seeking to meet not just their strict base necessities but to some degree their wants as well, inasmuch as their wants are just. I believe when we do that, we help them feel the love that God has for them.  

            After writing the above, I had to take my daughter to school. She insisted that she go to the store on the way so that she could get cinnamon gummy bears, which she for some reason had a craving for. I had to laugh at myself because I wanted to say no—certainly that is not a need!—but the words I had just written made me think that perhaps I should let her this time have her “wants.” So we stopped at the gas station, she bought herself what she wanted, and she went to school happy. Of course, this isn’t to say that these verses mean that we should always get what we want. But when we can and when they are just, we should help others to meet their wants in addition to their needs so that they can feel the love of their Father in Heaven for them.