FIVE WAYS TO SOLVE A PROBLEM

Dee Bowman

1. Meet the problem head-on, but not too quickly. Remember, patience is a virtue (James 1:4).
2. Make sure you understand all the facts. Many a problem has been proliferated by someone who didn’t take the time to research the real reasons involved in the matter (John 8:32).
3. Keep a level head. Even right things, if they not said with a level head, can intensify the difficulty. Control is wisdom; wisdom is control (Proverbs 21:23).
4. Smile. Genuinely, I mean. It’s hard to be hateful when you are smiling. And it’s hard to retaliate against someone who is genuinely smiling (Proverbs 15:13).
5. Speak softly. I have a note on my desk I wrote years ago when I was about to be involved in a controversial situation. It says, “Think! God, please help me not so say more than need be said, and help me to say it softly.” (Proverbs 15:1)
Bowman, D. (1999). That’s Life. Christianity Magazine, 16(7), 24.