We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. – Romans 15:1

Today's Scripture Reading (April 30, 2024):  Romans 15

In 1976, The Canadian Rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive released the single "Lookin' Out for #1." The release of the single was a significant departure for BTO. Until 1976, the band had been known for their hard-driving rock songs like "Takin' Care of Business" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet." But "Lookin' Out for #1" was a jazz-driven soft rock song. Randy Bachman, who wrote and sang the song, admits that the song started out as an exercise to stretch out his guitar skills. As a result, maybe it is not surprising that "Lookin' Out for #1" did not chart well, peaking at #65 on the Billboard pop charts. 

Bachman writes in the lyrics of the song;

Every day is an endless train
You got to ride it to the end of the line.
Be a troubleshooter, blow the bad luck away
And you will make it to your station on time.

And you'll find out every trick in the book
And that there's only one way to get things done.
You'll find out the only way to the top is looking out for #1
I mean, you keep looking out for #1

I remember buying the album "Head On" as soon as it was released in December 1975. "Head On" and especially "Lookin' Out for #1" was one of the albums and songs to which my parents found themselves objecting. I remember having a long discussion with them about the song's lyrics and that the idea of "Looking out for number 1" is decidedly anti-Christian.

The song lyrics of "Lookin' Out for Number 1" may make sense to us, but the message is the opposite of what Paul instructs the Roman Church is essential to Christian life. Rather than looking out for ourselves, which is the meaning behind the phrase "looking out for number one," we are to look out for those weaker than us. The Christian Church is never about the idea of raising ourselves up at the expense of others. It is about caring and loving even those who disagree with us. Bachman is right. "Every day is an endless train; you got to ride it to the end of the line." But success at the end of the line is not due to our looking out for number one; real success is about caring for number two, supporting the weak and the hurting, and those we might believe are weaker than we are.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Romans 16