The Whole Nine Yards is a War term. Some World War II fighter planes would be manned by two men, one pilot and one gunner. The pilot is in charge of the maneuvers of the plane and giving tips for shooting while the gunner’s job is to shoot down enemy planes. While flying in combat, the pilot would look for enemy planes, and if he saw one, he would shout instructions to the gunner. These instructions were about how many rounds to fire at the opposition forces, and he would shout these instructions in terms of various lengths of distance, usually yards.
So instead of shouting “fire fifty rounds at that plane”, he would shout “give em’ two yards”. The gunner would then fire two yards from the belt of ammo. The entire length of one ammunition belt was nine yards. In dire circumstances, life or death situations, the pilot would shout to the gunner, “Give them the whole nine yards”. Fire every round on the belt because our plane could be shot down.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”
Colossians 3:23
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going”
Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age”
Titus 2:12
How many men in the religious world have that type of mentality about their faith, family or career?
Few, if any. Most men are content to warm a pew for a few hours each week. Most men are fine with thinking about faith once or twice a week, more often than most of them have sex with their wives. Where are the men who are willing to put forth an extreme effort to preserve what is valuable to them?
There are very few men left who are willing to fire the whole nine yards at anything in life. If men refuse to give extreme effort in their faith, then they will be unwilling to give extreme effort anywhere. The man whose faith is so worthless to him that he would not sacrifice life and limb for it will not sacrifice for anything lesser such as career, property or even family.
We as men must be willing to fire every single round in the belt in the name of faith, family and life. Only through tremendous effort can anything of value be built, protected and preserved. The Christian faith requires a Spartan-like intensity to defend, and it is a faith that requires the whole nine yards of our character to maintain until death.
Mantra
Hit the enemy with the whole nine yards.
Application
Start getting comfortable with discomfort. Tell your mind that you enjoy discomfort because it is getting you closer to your goals. Giving the whole nine yards is not glamorous or fun in the same way that military boot camp is not glamorous or fun for those who served.
Stop chasing dramatized ideals that populate the highlight reels in worldly endeavors.
Highlights are exactly that: mere strands of time that are forgotten. Highlights are almost instantly replaced with new highlights and the old hero is forgotten. Don’t chase the type of glory that doesn’t last.
Condition yourself to give more and more effort over time. With practice, you learn to generate more and more horsepower and your power of will grows ever stronger. This strength originates in the mind.
You must believe that you have the ability to exhibit Spartan-esque toughness and soundness of mind.
You must practice giving the whole nine yards in the small events in life. If you cannot take small situations or jobs seriously and give them your maximum effort, you will never be able to give the maximum effort when it counts. Maximum effort is a habit.
Be faithful in little in order to be considered worthy to have the opportunity to be faithful in much (Luke 16:10). Every great work of architecture started with single bricks and planks of wood that were laid one piece at a time. Your character is that great structure, so do the work now that will allow you to have a tremendous character later in life.
Give the nine yards at all times.
Do not let the small events pass you by, others will notice if you cut corners or think you are above the small tasks.
Work like men.
Conduct yourselves like men.
