I have a dear
friend who, in the early years of his marriage, was convinced he and his family
needed a four-wheel-drive pickup truck. His wife was sure that he did not need
but merely wanted the new vehicle. A playful conversation between this husband
and wife initiated their consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of
such a purchase.
“Sweetheart, we
need a four-wheel-drive truck.”
She asked, “Why
do you think we need a new truck?”
He answered her
question with what he believed was the perfect response: “What if we needed
milk for our children in a terrible storm, and the only way I could get to the
grocery store was in a pickup?”
His wife
replied with a smile, “If we buy a new truck, we will not have money for
milk—so why worry about getting to the store in an emergency!”