Monday, October 10, 2011

Whatever


“Whatever.” It’s a phrase we hear so often in today’s culture. I’ve said it. Usually to dismiss something as unimportant. To say it doesn’t really matter in the scheme of things.
Deciding on where to go to dinner? Whatever.
The house is a mess and friends are coming. Whatever.
I didn’t get everything on my list done today. Whatever.
Maybe you’re guilty of the “Whatever Habit” too. It’s easy to fall into and it almost sounds like a good thing. It says you’re not uptight or worried about what people think. Or, that you don’t have a bunch of demands. You’re easy to get along with. Hey, whatever. I’m good with it, ya know?
But then, today I read something that made me reconsider. Elizabeth Elliot is one of my favorite authors. She wrote about little things and how she was taught to pay attention to them in all areas of life. She believes that our character is revealed in how we handle them. From putting the cap back on the toothpaste to sweeping under the bed where no one sees, our approach to little things says a lot. I used to tell my children “A job worth doing is worth doing well.” Groans often ensued. I understand. I’ve tried to keep that frame of mind, although I’ve been guilty of taking the easy way out far too many times. We all have. Haven’t we all said at some point, “Who cares? No one’s going to see it.”
Ah, but Mrs. Elliot pierced that thought with the following bit of wisdom: “Visible things are a sign of an invisible reality.”
After pondering that for a while, I realize my whatever attitude is just an excuse for not doing things well. Maybe it’s time to care more about those little things and show it.
Guess I’ll be reworking my vocabulary… again!

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

1 comment:

Thoughts?