Last week we looked at "what" you are doing for Heaven's sake, as I thought about that question over the next several days, I was drawn back to one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible. "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men," Colossians 3:23, basically says WHATEVER you do, give it all you got, and do it as if you are doing it for the Lord and not just for men to see you do it. I created Extreme Wrestling and later Extreme Volleyball with that scripture in mind. When I read whatever you do, work heartily, what I hear is "Go Extreme!!" Give it all you got, don't hold back, live each day as the gift it truly is, and whatever it is you are doing, do it as if God is sitting right there beside you, because He is!
So, where does this idea of giving it all you got apply? I believe the scripture itself answers that question in one simple word, "whatever". Whatever we do, do it as if we were doing it for God and not for the men and women, boys and girls that are the beneficiaries of all we do. Whatever we do, does that include the way we respond when we pass someone on the street? Certainly. How about when we are driving done the road and we get cut off by the car in the other lane? Definitely. How about when we are faced with taking a shortcut at work just to get a task or project completed? What do you think? Yes of course. When we are coaching, (remember you are always coaching), as you parent your children, as you date your spouse or possibly your spouse to be, when you play a sport, when you manicure your lawn, "whatever" you do pretty much sums up where this applies.
Someone out there is thinking, "Man that is a great deal of pressure", to which I would reply it shouldn't be if in all we do, we keep in mind who we are doing it for and why we are doing it. If you know the expectations for your life then it makes it easier to fulfill your responsibilities. "Whatever" pretty much covers everything we do, but knowing how to do things "as for the Lord and not for men" gets a little tricky if you don't know the true expectation. Learning how to do whatever we do for God comes by developing a relationship with God. Reading His word, and actually studying the Word, gives us examples of men and women in the Bible who lived out their lives doing whatever they did for God.
Paul is my go-to as I look to live out this scripture in my own life. Matter of fact, Paul is the one who penned Colossians 3:23, letting the church in Colossae know that the expectation was that in all they did they were to do it as if they were doing it for God which in turn would impact the lives of others each day. Paul didn't just share that in a single setting, in the same chapter of Colossians, Paul also shares "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Paul says whatever you do in word or deed, and then he takes it another step and charges us to give thanks for God allowing us to have the opportunity to do it!
Paul endured much after his conversion as a follower of Christ. Imprisoned, beaten, tortured, shipwrecked at sea, and eventually martyred, and in all he did he kept his eye on the prize. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day ..." II Timothy 4:7-8. Paul lived his life as if he wasn't living it for himself. He lived his life as we should strive to live out our own life. Paul lived his life in a manner that others could see God living in him and through all that he did each day of his life. For those who don't know God and do not have a personal relationship with God, someone has to be that living example, otherwise they may never see God, let alone seek Him and turn to Him.
"Whatever you do" is a big request, but if we truly live for God then all we do will be done with the end in mind. Get to know God, spend time in His word, pray to Him often, and seek God's will in "whatever" you do! You are a difference maker in the lives of those you live and work with each day. "Go Extreme!!"
Coach Carter
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