Elisha called 

1 Kings 19.19-21

19. So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 
20. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?" 
21. So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant. 

So, what would you call someone with this guy's personality profile, at least what we see in these three verses? Perhaps gracious terms such as 'tenacious,' 'persevering,' or 'determined' would be used. More than likely, if someone were describing those traits in you or me it wouldn't be quite so complimentary...'stubborn,' 'bullheaded,' and 'obstinate' are a few terms I've heard. 

Elisha was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen "before" him. The Hebrew word translated "before" is 'paniym' (paw-neem').

A possible, I think probable, explanation of this verse, understanding the word 'paniym' as meaning '…in the face of, at the face of…' would put Elisha at the front of the 24 oxen, pulling on the lead of the pair of oxen farthest from the plow.

I don't know much about oxen. I was told by my Grandpa Huffman that his grandpa broke the virgin prairie in northwest Kansas in the late 1800's using a yoke of oxen. His opinion, being a horse breeder, was that oxen were more suitable to extremely heavy work in yoke, than the harness work of his beloved Percheron/Belgian mixes. (As a kid I was always in awe, actually scared, by the size of Grandpa's horses.)

If my great great grandpa could break virgin prairie sod with one yoke of oxen, what on earth was Elisha trying to plough using 12 yoke?! I suspect it wasn't so much WHAT Elisha was trying to do as it was HOW he was trying to get it done. He was GETTING IT DONE!!

That kind of 'getting it done' reflects strong determination, or stubbornness, or whatever you want to call it.

This initial picture of Elisha gives a good indication of the kind of person God wanted/needed to get things done once Elijah went on to his reward. Elijah was leaving this life with his country in a real mess. It was going to take a particularly strong and forceful person to accomplish what God intended.

The New Testament indicates quite plainly that people who are 'tossed to and fro by every wind and wave of doctrine...' are not pleasing to God. We find John being told by an angel that God hates 'luke-warm' wishing people to be either hot or cold. Jesus talked about people trying to serve two competing voices, or values (masters).

Do you want to serve God? Do you want to be pleasing to Him? Do you want to accomplish something of Kingdom values during your journey through life? Develop a backbone! Set your face with determination toward whatever project is before you.

A great scriptural admonition that will serve you very successfully in all your ventures is, "Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, verily do it with all your might!"