Article October 24, 1942 Issue

Priorities

VIVIAN H. ROBISON

Today arguments come to the business man that because his particular line is not listed among the actual necessities for war materials he will not be able to get this or that commodity. His present supply will soon be exhausted, and there may be no more available; perhaps he will have to go out of business. These appear to be sound arguments in the face of apparent shortage. They are not new. The Bible is full of accounts of seeming lack. Moses faced it continually with the children of Israel. When the manna fell from heaven, he told them to gather an omer for every man. Scriptural account says, "And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating." This seems to indicate that those who trusted in divine Providence expressed divine economy; while others, afraid of the morrow, attempted to hoard supply and were therefore wasteful and disobedient.

Divine Providence gives to His children every essential for their well-being. All good is essential. There are no priorities on integrity, honest achievement, co-operativeness, generosity, or beauty. These are morale builders. They are the qualities of our living standard. There are many kinds of so-called business that stultify the intellect and quench the necessary urge to be up and doing. These may well have priorities placed upon them. These work against national defense and individual morale.

Every thinking person today should be roused to natural wholesome industriousness, to practice true economy, to stop sinful waste. Good management should be the order of the day. It will work wonders in both national and individual problems. We may, as a people, have become accustomed to two of everything when one would be sufficient. Priorities could well be placed on our wants. Divine accuracy meets all human needs. Necessity is still "the mother of invention" in human affairs.

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