Whatever Means? …Hello Hump Day Readers. My prayer is that many of you are out of the “artic zone” and staying warm. Out here in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona we had 8 days in the mid-20’s and that’s dang cold for us. For my family back in Wisconsin, I know you are laughing all the while you are snow-blowing your driveway, saying “she’s a wimp” and yep, I don’t like cold.

On our CBS station here they had reporters going out from wintery Flagstaff to ‘warm’ Phoenix asking the folks what they think of the weather. There were a lot of comments, but one of the funniest yet annoying answer perked up my ears when they said, “whatever.” The reporter tried to define what they meant and the guy said, “you know, whatever!” Oi-vey, I said to myself. The word ‘whatever’ is used so much today and I often wonder if people know what that word means? When I hear this it annoys the heck out of me because what do they really mean when using this word?

I was getting groceries for Christmas. In line at the meat counter, the guy in front of me was trying to tell the butcher how he wanted his roast cut, but he and the butcher didn’t connect. After a lengthy give-and-take, the guy shrugged his shoulders and said snidely, “whatever.” The butcher looked at me and I rolled my eyes because I knew the guy knew nothing about a prime rib roast and how to cut it. The butcher sighed and took the roast in the back to cut it. So, I asked the guy what that meant, hoping to get a cohesive explanation. He sighed and said, “you know, like everything else in this world, you can’t get what you want so say “whatever”—you know?” I didn’t have time to debate about it and I said, OK, I hope you have a nice roast. At the self-checking station, I asked an attendant for help because I had wine; she swiped her card validating my age (!) and as she turned to go, the store manager tapped her on the shoulder saying he needed her to work two more hours because an employee was ill. Her answer “whatever.” I had a full audience so I asked her “what does that mean?” She laughed out-loud and said, “when what you want to do but you can’t do it, you just throw up your arms and say ‘whatever’ because it’s a word that means nothing.”

Hmmm, still made no sense to me. I looked up the word. English meaning is: “it is not important; it makes no difference; it is anything or everything.” Still made NO sense to me, but that is exactly what this “slang” word is about—nothing or everything or yep, ‘whatever’.

So I decided to look up the Greek for this word and it was a much better definition and totally different from how we use it! It’s a word about your trust, your work, it applies to every task you undertake. It is not a word of slang, but one of trust, encouragement and inner-power!

In Colossians 3:23–24 [NLT], the Apostle Paul perfectly defines the word ‘whatever’ when he said: “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”

My first reaction? The roast! The guy knew nothing about cutting a roast but argued with the butcher who did know and was trying to tell him the best way for a delicious roast, but the guy wouldn’t listen. His snide ‘whatever’ was demeaning to the butcher.

Going back to Paul’s words, that butcher was spot-on; he was doing his task to give this guy and his family the best Christmas roast! Paul’s words apply to every task we undertake. Whatever we give, whatever we do, whatever we serve. He encourages us to not devalue it. Why? Because there’s an inheritance from the Lord in it. The miraculous, purpose-driven life God has for you is found in the very midst of this word called ‘whatever’!

Think about it, don’t we easily surrender using that attitude of ‘whatever’? Oh, friends, what a mistake that is. Instead of a word that can demean or have a “I give up attitude,” think for a moment and ask yourself “What is my ‘whatever’”? What is one task you’re realizing you need to dedicate to God today? Remember, the word ‘whatever’ is one of trust and inner power. So, instead of using it when you’re exasperated, use it for encouragement for yourself as well as others, and reap the blessings from God ‘whatever’ situation you are in! AMEN.