Truth is hard to come by. Opinions are everywhere, information never stops flowing, and strong voices often dominate the conversation. But wisdom rarely shouts the loudest. Listening, humility, curiosity, and the ability to recognize the difference between what is right and what is almost right is wise. We need that kind of truthful discernment as leaders and as educators, perhaps now more than ever.
Discernment is not a matter of simply
telling the difference between right
and wrong; rather it is telling the
difference between right and almost right.
— Charles Spurgeon
Watch "Truthful Discernment" on the Educators Among Us Podcast
When first meeting board members, administrators, and/or faculty, we gather insights by watching the body language and listening to the tone in the room.
Who talks first? Who talks most? Who has earned respect? Who has the clout?
Discretion and curiosity are reliable signs of wisdom among the participants, revealing the distinct self-intelligence only gained from humility and reflection. Most of the time the most interesting person is the one who is most interested.
Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.
— Proverbs 13:20
Despite dogmatically delirious campaigns to destroy any inkling of Truth, it's still accessible to those who stop pretending to see with eyes adamantly shut. Endorsing critical thinking where it's effectively suppressed is mere hypocrisy.
With endless sources of information, it's quite difficult to discern what is right, almost right, and not right. And now it's even more vital to life and leadership. The gift of discernment has never been so valuable in the educational setting.
Through our own recovered innocence
we discern the innocence of our neighbors.
— Henry David Thoreau
Our reputation and rapport is assessed using these markers we communicate.
Discernment teaches us that certain behaviors are most likely to diminish trust.
It teaches us that credibility declines when interrupting and endlessly arguing.
It teaches us to realize that another unsolicited opinion won't make it better.
It teaches us to stop pretending that we know what they are going through.
Through discernment, we learn to speak less, listen more, and love with grace.
Delight in discernment. Grow in the ability to tell the difference between right and almost.
Listen to "Truthful Discernment" on the Educators Among Us Podcast
