Looking Out for Number One

Spirituality Column #106
November 18, 2008
Current in Carmel (IN), Current in Westfield (IN) newspaper

Looking Out for Number One
By Bob Walters

Who or what is “Number One” in your life?

Think about it for a minute and be honest. What gives your life its ultimate meaning?

Is it your self? Your spouse? Your children? Your family? A celebrity? Who do you love the most?

Sometimes it’s a thing. Is it your money? Your job? Your talent? Your property or possessions? A sports team? Politics? Your country? Security? What do you love the most?

Some people put their religion first, or their church or the Bible or prayer or mission work. What do you worship the most?

You Christians out there likely already know where I’m going with this.

If any of these things are “Number One” in your life or worship, guess who, by default, can be no closer than runner up? That’s right … Jesus Christ.

Don’t put Jesus – God Incarnate, the source of life, our only available concrete definition of “good” – as “runner up” to anything.

Modern culture encourages the sin of pride, telling us to “look out for Number One.” This is code for “I’m going to get mine; you worry about getting yours.” “Outreach” in this case can amount to little more than “You can get yours, as long as I get mine.” It’s not exactly selfless.

Nearly 50 years ago President John F. Kennedy closed his inauguration speech with “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Too often today that wonderful ideal – personally, politically and religiously – has turned into the exact opposite:

“What have you done for me lately?”

Do you ever ask that selfish question of others? Of government? Of Jesus? Of God?

Life’s ultimate meaning is neither worldly nor within ourselves. Christ died on the Cross to show us life’s ultimate meaning: that God loves us enough to save us. He gives us the freedom to be imperfect, yet sent Christ to show us the way – through faith in Him – to stand eternally in God’s perfect presence.

Does that mean any one of us will ever be perfect in this life? Nope. Christ was the only perfect human, and His perfect life was defined by giving himself, even unto death, for others.

Putting Christ first; that’s what “Looking out for Number One” – really – is all about.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) points to John 14:6 for comfort, and Romans 8:28-39 for assuredness.