Reading: The Way of the Wise, Part 1

The Way of the Wise Part 1

Henry Reyenga

Meet Dr. Kevin Leman

Look for the Teachable Moments
“Do not forget my teaching.” PROVERBS 3:1A Who believed in you? Write a note to that person and say, “Thank you for making a difference in my life.” Everyone can use a little encouragement. What have you done to provide teachable moments?
 Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 187-191). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Help People to Care Deeply
The heart informs the way you respond and react, the way you treat others, and the way you view yourself and God. You can sound spiritual, be able to recite the Ten Commandments, know the Four Spiritual Laws ad nauseam, and appear successful in every arena of life, but if your heart isn’t focused on the big picture of what really matters, all the words you say won’t mean squat. You won’t treat others the way that God would want you to treat them. You won’t love as Christ commands you to love.
Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 209-213). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Help Others Connect Their Hearts and Heads
But sometimes your head will tell you one thing and your heart another. The epiphany comes when you take the information you know and transfer it from your head to your heart. You can say all the right things, but if you don’t live out what you believe, you’re an empty aluminum can clanging down the street.
Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 235-237). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Help People See God as Gracious and Address Their Stress
But back up to the big, bad wolf for a moment. Isn’t that the way some of us think of God? As the big, bad wolf in the sky who is going to huff and puff and blow our house in? The judgmental guy who’s ready to hammer us for the least infraction of the rules? Who never wants us to have any fun? Who is always stacking the odds against us and is never for us?
Did you ever think that the way you view God has everything to do with the way you live your life, including the kind of stress you live under? Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 337-341). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Stressed Out in Conflict with God
In “Effects of Stress,” wellness expert Elisabeth Kuhn says: Excessive, untreated stress can actually kill you. When you’re stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol, which is designed to get your rear in gear as part of the fight-or-flight mechanism. However, this hormone is meant to be released only occasionally in small doses— when stress causes it to be secreted for long periods of time.
Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 344-347). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Help People “Let God Be God”
Could it be that we’re trying too hard to control our life circumstances? That we’re doing too much because we’re not comfortable with who we are and are striving to be someone we’re not? Might we be creating stress by our poor choices— and our driving need to be in charge? There are some who strongly believe we can become so addicted to adrenaline— the kind our body produces due to busy schedules— that we want and need to stay on the conveyor belt of life.
Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 350-353). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Stress Priorities
When I surveyed women, asking them, “What are the major stressors in your life? List them in order,” the responses were clear. Without a doubt, the top six stressors for women are children, lack of time with loved ones, husbands, household chores, finances, and work. Now isn’t it like women to put relationships first? (Survey men and you’ll get a different response, with relationships often in the backseat.)
Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 358-360). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Model Giving Control to God
The struggle is all about relinquishing control. We all have our insecurities we want to hang on to. Our natural inclination is not to let go of the control of our lives. “God,” we say, “I know you’re the Potter, I’m the clay . . . but I do have a few suggestions.”
Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 772-774). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Help People Step Out of Their Comfort Zone
Few people are taking the leap off the board. The majority of people are sitting at the side of the pool or treading water. That’s why American Idol and other reality shows are such a draw. People don’t like the life they’re living, so they need to live their life through someone else’s experience. And waiting to see which person is the next to get booted off the show is the highlight of their week. Life is temporal; it won’t last. But shouldn’t that idea kick us into full gear rather than sideline us? In what area do you want to make a difference? Then why aren’t you doing it?
Leman, Dr. Kevin (2013-02-01). The Way of the Wise: Simple Truths for Living Well (Kindle Locations 784-789). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Help People Get Balance in Both Rest and Interpretation of Reality
We need to be still!
Psalm 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;  He leadeth me beside the still waters.