Looking Out For #1

The world tells says you’re more important than anything else.

Today’s culture wants you to believe that nothing matters more than me, myself, and I.

The criminal Fagin sums this up well in chapter 43 of Oliver Twist:

“Some conjurers say that number three is the magic number, and some say number seven. It’s neither my friend, neither. It’s number one.”

Charles Dickens

And sadly, many believe he’s right.

We are led to believe we’re #1.

Do any of these phrases sound familiar: “you do you”, “look out for yourself”, “no one else can tell you what to do”, “first come, first serve”? I’m guessing you’ve heard them before.

These are the maxims the world lives by. Take what you can get, look out for yourself. It’s the only way to survive in this “dog eat dog” world, right?

Here are the world’s priorities: you, what you want, what you need, what you think you deserve, and if you have extra time, the needs of your family and friends.

Because honestly, you matter most. Who cares about thousands of people dying in a war on the other side of the world, or hundreds being crushed in an earthquake, or a million kids starving over in Africa? As long as you’re doing well, that’s all that matters.

Where does this ideology lead?

Where does looking out for yourself get you? Let me tell you, it doesn’t lead you to a place you want to be. Selfishness, jealousy, and apathy are not strong virtues. In the end, they cripple us.

Thinking we’re the center of our own little world is about as sound an argument as saying the earth is the center of the universe.

It’s not – just so you know.

We are never in control.

The devil lets you believe you’re #1, which is what appeals to so many people. However, as much as you may want to think you’re in control, someone else always is. I’m not talking about the government – I’m talking about spiritual forces.

Either you’re ruled by the devil, or by Jesus. You will never truly be “in control” of your life. One of those two will be. And the craziest part is that you get to choose who.

The devil tells you to look out only for yourself, since you matter most. Truth be told, you do matter – to Jesus. He cares about your very soul, your existence. However, He also says that you’re to look out for those in need.

Jesus tells us that the first will be last, and the last first (Matthew 20:16). What He means is that if you want to be #1 (like you’re “entitled” to be), you’ll end up in the rear. But those who lower themselves and selflessly serve others will get a great reward.

We need to choose JOY.

The world wants us to live by the ME principal – Myself, Everyone. We have to counteract that with JOY – Jesus, Others, You.

The question is: who matters most to you?

Is it yourself, or Jesus? Is it someone mortal, or someone immortal? When you put someone (whether that’s yourself or someone you love) above Jesus, what you’re really doing is putting what the world has to offer above Him.

So what’s it gonna be?

Are you going to be #1, or are you going to hand that title to the One who really deserves it? Will you live primarily for yourself and your own agenda, or for Jesus and His eternal agenda?

Will you live with ME as your priority, or will you live with JOY?