How To Solve Problems (7)

Seventh, try to see the problem from different angles. Paul talks about “the manifold wisdom of God.” To understand the word manifold, think of a diamond. Each time you turn it, the light exposes a different facet of its beauty. God’s wisdom contained in the Bible is like that; it exposes different aspects and approaches to the problem. There’s a story about a woman on trial for killing her third husband. The trial attorney asked, “What happened to your first husband?” She replied, “He died of mushroom poisoning.” He then asked, “How about your second husband?” The woman replied, “He died of mushroom poisoning too.” Finally the lawyer inquired about her third husband. She replied, “He died of a brain concussion.” The attorney asked, “How come?” She replied, “Because he wouldn’t eat the mushrooms!” Seriously, most problems have many solutions, and no problem can long withstand the assault of sustained thinking. So fire up your God-given creativity, apply sustained thinking, and pull together your resources. Included in those resources are people. Who else has solved this problem? How did they do it? Often the problems that surround you aren’t nearly as crucial as the people around you. When Joseph came up with a plan that saved Egypt from famine, Pharaoh said, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word” (Genesis 41:39-40 NKJV). Bottom line: with God’s help, you can generally devise more than one way to solve the problem.