God’s Design for Community 40 Day Lenten Devotional— Day#3
Make it Happen!!!
Romans 14:19 (ESV)
“So let’s try as hard as we can to do what will bring peace. Let’s do whatever will help each other grow stronger in faith.”
Several years ago one of the dear members of my church gave me a book by Keith Harrell entitled, “Attitude is Everything: 10 Life Changing Steps to Turning attitude into action.”
In his book, Harrell chronicles his disappointment at not being drafted by the NBA after having a stellar college career, he then chronicles his transition from odd jobs into the corporate world of IBM and then his subsequent decision to leave IBM after 25 years in order to become a motivational speaker.
In chapter ten of his book, Harrell recounts his apprehension, and the subsequent conversation that took place between him and his father about his new career decision.
After sharing with his tenured professor father of his intentions of leaving an executive position at IBM to become a motivational speaker. Keith Harrell recalls his fathers battery of questions in regards to his career decision.
Harrell’s Father first asked him if he was willing to give up his car for a bus ticket to ride the bus, if he was willing to take on a roommate to pay his mortgage.
He went on to say son are you willing to sell your home and move into an apartment. Finally, Harrell blurted out, dad I’m sure that this is what I want to do, so much so, that I’m willing to move back home and live in mom’s basement.
After, a brief period of silence, Harrell’s father said, son I fully support your decision because you have a W. I. T. Attitude.
Shocked by his father support and confused by the meaning of W. I. T., Harrell asked his father what did he mean by W. I. T.
Keith Harrell’s father said, W. I. T. stands for Whatever It Takes. He went on to say, if you are going to succeed as a motivational speaker, you’re going to need a whatever it takes attitude.
Friends, I’m convinced that if the church of Jesus Christ is going to maintain her witness before the world and preserve her unity, she must possess a whatever it takes attitude! Paul exhorted the church then and now to do whatever it took to keep peace and build each other spiritually!
Pursue in the Greek carries the connotation of doing something with intense effort with a goal in mind. Maintaining peace in any relationship or mutual building up requires that intense efforts be made towards a definite end goal! When God exhorts you or assigns you to do something, it will require you to put forth some effort and energy knowing that there is an end goal in mind. Are you willing to work hard in order to achieve your end goal? Be it relationally, financially or be it spiritually! Do you have a W.I.T Attitude? Do whatever it takes to reach your end goal.
Lord, I understand that to fulfill your will for my life, I must have a whatever it takes attitude and put forth the effort to achieve it in the end. Give me empowering grace to make it happen, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!