2019-08-21
Efesiërs 3:10-11 NLV
Sewende, moet jy probeer om die probleem uit verskillende hoeke te sien. Paulus praat van die ‘allesomvattende wysheid van God.’ Om die woord ‘allesomvattend’ te verstaan, dink aan ‘n diamant. Elke keer wat jy dit beweeg, stel die lig verskillende fasette van sy skoonheid bloot. God se wysheid wat in die Bybel weergegee word, is so; dit stel verskillende aspekte en benaderings tot die probleem bloot. Daar is ‘n verhaal van ‘n vrou wat in die hof vir die moord op haar derde man moes verskyn. Die staatsaanklaer het vir haar gevra: ‘Wat het met jou eerste man gebeur?’ Sy het geantwoord: ‘Hy is dood aan sampioenvergiftiging.’ ‘En jou tweede man?’ ‘Hy is ook dood aan sampioenvergiftiging.’ Uiteindelik het die staatsaanklaer oor haar derde man begin uitvra. Sy het geantwoord: ‘Hy is dood aan ‘n kopbesering.’ ‘Hoe het dit gebeur?’ het die staatsaanklaer gevra. ‘Wel,’ het sy geantwoord, ‘hy wou nie die sampioene eet nie!’ Op ‘n ernstiger noot het die meeste probleme verskeie oplossings. Vuur dus jou Godgegewe kreatiwiteit aan, dink oor die probleem en maak jou hulpbronne bymekaar. Deel van hierdie hulpbronne is mense. Wie het al hierdie probleem opgelos? Hoe het hulle dit gedoen? Dikwels is die probleme rondom jou nie so noodsaaklik soos die mense rondom jou nie. Toe Josef met ‘n plan vorendag gekom het om Egipte van ‘n hongersnood te red, het die farao gesê: ‘…Aangesien God die betekenis van die drome aan jou bekendgemaak het, is daar niemand met meer wysheid in die land nie! Hiermee stel ek jou aan oor die projek en die paleis. Jy sal oor al my onderdane gesag hê…’ (Genesis 41:39-40 NLV). Met God se hulp kan jy oor die algemeen meer as een manier uitdink om die probleem op te los.
Sielskos: Klaag 3:40-5:22; Matt 20:1-16; Ps 119:129-136; Spr 18:21
Ephesians 3:10 NIV
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.
Soul food: Lam 3:40-5:22; Matt 20:1-16; Ps 119:129-136; Prov 18:21
2019-08-20
Johannes 16:33 NLV
Sesdens, moet jy jou probleme in perspektief probeer hou. Jy het seker al die gesegde gehoor: ‘Ek het gekla omdat ek nie skoene het nie, totdat ek ‘n man sonder voete ontmoet het.’ In ‘n Peanuts strokiesprent, sien Snoopy hoe die familie om die tafel sit en aandete eet terwyl hy buite sy hondekos moet eet. ‘Kyk nou net,’ dink hy. ‘Almal eet lekker hoender, maar omdat ek ‘n hond is kry ek net hondekos.’ Dan vind hy skielik weer perspektief. ‘Natuurlik kon dinge erger gewees het – ek kon ‘n hoender gewees het!’ Dis gewoonlik ons perspektief wat bepaal hoe groot of moeilik ons probleem lyk. Die meeste moeilikheid waarvoor ons te staan kom is redelike onbeduidend in die groter prentjie. Wanneer ‘n vriend kanker kry of ‘n geliefde verloor, word ons herinner hoe kleinlik ons kwessies eintlik is. Die skrywer James Agee onthou hoe hy een keer ‘n gesprek met ‘n arm bejaarde vrou in die hartjie van die Appalache tydens die Groot Depressie aangeknoop het. Sy het in ‘n piepklein krot met grondvloere, geen elektrisiteit en geen binnenshuise riool, gewoon. ‘Wat sou jy doen,’ het hy gevra, ‘as iemand vir jou geld sou gee om jou te help?’ Die vrou het vir ‘n oomblik daaroor nagedink en geantwoord: ‘Ek sou dit seker vir die armes gee.’ Deur te besef dat daar mense rondom jou is wat baie groter probleme as jy het, bring dankbaarheid en perspektief mee. Jesus het gesê: ‘Ek sê hierdie dinge vir julle sodat julle in My rus en vrede kan vind. In die wêreld sal julle swaarkry beleef, maar skep moed: Ek het die wêreld reeds oorwin.’
Sielskos: Klaag 1:1-3:39; Matt 19:15-30; Ps 119:121-128; Spr 18:13-20
John 16:33 NKJV
Sixth, you must try to keep your problems in perspective. You’ve probably heard the saying: “I grumbled because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.” In a Peanuts cartoon, Snoopy looks in and sees the family sitting around the table enjoying Thanksgiving dinner while he’s outside eating dog food. “How about that?” he thinks. “Everybody’s eating turkey today, but because I’m just a dog I get dog food.” Then he suddenly regains his perspective. “Of course, things could be worse – I could have been born a turkey!” How big or how difficult our problem appears to be is often a matter of perspective. Most difficulties we face are pretty insignificant in the larger scheme of things. When a friend gets cancer or loses a loved one, we’re reminded of just how petty our issues are. Author James Agee recalled how he once struck up a conversation with an impoverished elderly woman in the heart of Appalachia during the Great Depression. She lived in a tiny shack with dirt floors, no heat, and no indoor plumbing. “What would you do,” he asked, “if someone gave you some money to help you out?” The woman thought for a moment and answered, “I guess I’d give it to the poor.” Realizing there are people around you who have much bigger problems than yours brings gratitude and perspective. Jesus told His disciples, “These things have I spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Soul food: Lam 1:1-3:39; Matt 19:15-30; Ps 119:121-128; Prov 18:13-20
2019-08-19
Proverbs 16:9 NKJV
Fifth, don’t just see the problem, look for the opportunity. When President John Kennedy was asked how he became a war hero, he smiled and quipped, “It was easy. Somebody sunk my boat!” While it’s true that certain individuals have a vision and pursue it, many times adversity paves the way to success. This was the case for a man whose small business was failing: “I was paying a sheriff five dollars a day to postpone a judgment on my small factory. Then came the gas man, and because I couldn’t pay his bill he promptly cut off my gas. I was in the midst of certain very important experiments, and to have the gas people plunge me into darkness made me so mad I at once began to read up on gas technique and economics, and resolved I would try to see if electricity couldn’t be made to replace gas and give those gas people a run for their money.” That man was Thomas Edison, founder of General Electric. Problems are wake-up calls for creativity. If you choose to wake up, and get up, problems will prompt you to use your God-given abilities, rally your resources, and move forward. The truth is, without certain problems we would end up in the wrong place, with the wrong people, doing the wrong thing. “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Out of pain comes purpose, and out of devastation comes direction. So talk to God about your problem; let Him show you the potential it holds and what He has in mind for you.
Soul food: Gal 4-6; Matt 19:1-14; Ps 119:113-120; Prov 18:10-12
