1227) Whenever someone asks me what aged kids I teach, when I tell them tweens and teens, they often follow through with, “I don’t know how you do it.” I often will nod my head because as much as I love working with kids this age, there are some things that are difficult. One of them is when they have a bad attitude.

Kids and even adults have bad attitudes from time to time and often, if one of my students whines or complains, I make it lighter by telling them they are doing it incorrectly. I demonstrate a way over-the-top reaction and, usually, we all are laughing about it. Problem solved. But, there is one thing that really gets me and that is when I tell a student to stop doing something and they reply, “Whatever.” Ug! Just writing these words makes my insides cringe.

The word “whatever” doesn’t need to be a negative, though. In Colossians 3:23, Paul tells us that “whatever” we do, we need to remember we are doing it for the Lord. If you knew your boss has a fairly weak or casual attitude about your job, it would be easy to adopt this work ethic, too. However, God’s work isn’t casual. He has given his all to us and, out of gratitude, we should do the same for him.

The next time you see someone with an “attitude,” remember my students saying, “whatever.” This can remind us of what we should give to God.