FIRST IN LAST OUT
IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK | Todd Elliott
My wife used to work for a guy who would always ask the question “ What can you do for me ?” The context was generally in a situation where he was paying for a service … a rental car , hotel room , plane ticket , you get the idea . It would usually make me uncomfortable when he would do it , but he said the worst they can say to him is “ no ”, which means he is paying the listed price for the service , which he was already prepared to do . The best thing that could happen is that he gets a little something extra .
The other day , I thought I ’ d give it a try … twice . The first time , the person behind the counter was helpful , but there was nothing they could do for me . The second time , in a totally different situation , I scored all kinds of extra goodies .
What does this have to do with anything ? Maybe a couple of things … at least it did for me at the moment .
WHAT ABOUT THIS ? When I ’ m working with creative artists to pull off a service , there are many times that someone ’ s idea can ’ t totally be done the way they are asking , or at least if it were changed slightly , it would be way easier . It might even be more effective .
Over the years , there are so many examples of me not asking or searching for alternate options at this moment . The thought didn ’ t even cross my mind to at least explore the possibilities beyond the initial idea . The worst that can happen is that we execute the idea in the original way it was proposed , which I would have had to figure out if I hadn ’ t asked . The best that could happen is that we come up with something way better ; a solution that we worked on together and that we can be unified as a team while doing .
If asking means that it has the potential to be amazing , what is keeping me from asking ?
WHAT ABOUT GOD ? The second observation I took away from my experience is that I don ’ t generally ask God “ What can you do for me ?” It feels presumptive . And God already has a plan – so why would I bother ? After all , He knows how everything is going to go down , so I ’ m not even going to think about asking .
WHAT ’ S THE HARM IN TRYING ? The thing I learned from my simple initial experience of asking “ What can you do for me ?” is that it led to a nice conversation and a chance to connect with another person . The situation I was asking about didn ’ t change , but it felt great to at least try . So many times , I don ’ t ask God because I assume what I ’ m asking for isn ’ t realistic or isn ’ t worth asking about .
When I asked the question for the second time , the response I received was the polar opposite . I put myself out there and asked , and I got what I asked for and then some . I ’ m pretty sure the second person I asked the question to wasn ’ t spending all day thinking about making sure I got great service and then all the extra stuff she threw in . She gave me those things because I was willing to ask . What if God had a few things up his sleeve that he is just waiting for us to ask him for ?
I think the second person even had a great time surprising me . It seemed like she got a ton of joy out of the experience . To give someone the chance to bless you , or to give God an opportunity to willingly give you the things you
ask for , can have an amazing outcome not only for you but also for the other person .
Why not ask the question ? Why not take a risk and see what happens ? Whether it is with your co-workers or with God , you never know when someone is going to say yes .
It can ’ t hurt to ask .
Todd Elliott Todd is a writer , speaker , technical artist in the local church and founder of FILO , which stands for First In , Last Out . FILO was born out of his own need as a technical artist in the local church to be in community with other church tech people , to learn new ways of doing things and to be inspired that what he did mattered . The more FILO-type people he met , the more convinced he was that these are things we all need . That ’ s why FILO exists : to equip , encourage and inspire technical artists in the local church to become the best version of ourselves . Formerly the Technical Arts Director at Willow Creek Community Church , he started FILO in 2015 to help other technical artists become more effective so that the local church can be more effective . In his free time , he enjoys being inspired by Winston Churchill speeches and visiting the gravesites of U . S . presidents . Residing near Chicago , he and his wife Bissy have three kids and a dog ... none of whom are into production .
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