Some things in life are hard to figure out.

• How do flowers grow from buds?
• What makes winter so cold and summer so hot?
• How do butterflies grow from cocoons? (Can you find the butterfly in this picture?)

Some people say figure it out instead of figure out.

When we figure out anything, we solve a problem.

We:

• Learn how to do something
• Understand what we did not understand before
• Find an explanation for something
• Begin to see daylight

Sometimes we figure out things. Other times we figure out people.

• Not all people think the same way we do.
• Our actions differ.
• We have different goals.

We need to figure out how to get along in spite of our differences.

• We don’t have to agree to be agreeable.
• We don’t have to act the same way to act with kindness.
• We don’t have to share the same goals to support one another.

If we look at the other side of the coin, we may learn something.

I have a hard time figuring out math problems. I know all my questions drove my teachers crazy. One would say, “Think. Just think.” I was thinking. However, I could not think like he did. I was in over my head. I am thankful those teachers did not give up on me. Instead, they bent over backwards to help me.

Life is often hard. Why not help one another figure out the best way to live it?

“This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own’” (Jeremiah 33:2-3 MSG).

Thanks to Judy Clark for the suggestion.

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment below.

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