A few weeks ago I posted a blog titled “Whatever It Takes.” That was a theme that my dad instilled in me when I was growing up. A friend who read the blog shared with me about a young fellow who fit the mold of whatever it takes.

My friend works in an agency that is very selective about the people they hire. His organization hires people with specific educational degrees and/or technical skills. A major consideration for selecting a candidate for employment includes work ethic and good judgment.

People who are selected in the interview process for potential employment would later attend training sessions. My friend is responsible for those training sessions, so he was also very interested and involved in the interviewing process.

The applicants were sitting in a conference room waiting for the interview process to begin. My friend looked in to visually evaluate the applicants. He saw one young man who was wearing a tuxedo. That was a red flag to him. Others wore a suit and tie or slacks and dress shirt, so he questioned this man’s judgment to select a tuxedo.

Because there were a lot of applicants, they were divided and assigned interview teams in order to accelerate the process. After the interview, my friend asked about that person and questioned his dress and especially his judgment. His interview team had an interesting answer.

They told him that this young man had the highest commitment for wanting to work that they had ever experienced in the interview process. They explained that this young man’s house burned the day before and the only clothes he had to wear was the tuxedo he had on. He could have called to reschedule, but he did not complain. He just abandoned his major problems, took what he had, and made the best of his day.

That man was hired. He became one of the favorite employees of the company. He never required supervision in the tasks for which he was assigned. This young man had an attitude of whatever it takes. That’s a winning attitude!

A farmer left his son to plow a large field and instructed him to plow out to the peach trees. He told his son to try and finish the job by the end of day. When the farmer returned that evening he was surprised to discover that his son had plowed out to the road – far beyond the peach trees. It was almost twice the amount of work he had expected his son to do.

When he asked his son about it, the boy replied, “Dad, I plowed out to the peach trees because you told me to. I plowed on out to the road because I wanted to.” You see, whatever it takes people want to.

The Bible emphasizes a whatever it takes attitude in living our lives each day. Paul says, “And let us not get tired of doing right, for after awhile we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.” (Galatians 6:9) He says, “Whatever you do, do your work wholeheartedly, as for the Lord rather than for men.” (Colossians 3:23) He also says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (Corinthians 10:31)

Can you be “Whatever It Takes III?”