Discernment - We Need Some!

The other day I needed to get some targets from the sporting goods store. I went on line and researched the opening time and laid plans to get to the store at its opening. I hopped in the little car with the top down and the morning was perfect. The heat had not moved in yet. As I drove I thought of various things from the day the Lord had made to visiting a new place and developing a new skill. I drove up to the shopping center and pulled in only to see large signs saying “Open at 11am”! I saw lights on so I got out of the car and checked the doors. The outer one was open but not the inner one. I went back to the car, pushed the top back down and contemplated where else to get targets. As I drove toward the entrance of the lot I realized I had automatically gone to my wife’s favorite store which was next door to where I wanted to go! Two things occurred to me. One my wife has me trained better than I thought and operating on autopilot in this world can get you in trouble,

Discernment is defined as the ability to distinguish reality from appearances and truth from falsehood. The ability to apply common sense, good judgment and maturity to understanding life in our day of information overload is desperately needed. The ability to see there are things that matter and things that do not, the ability to see there are things that make a difference and things that do not, and the wisdom to know the difference isn’t as easy as it seems. Is there any among us who can help us?

Let’s start at the bottom of the skill set for discernment. There are some human skills to be understood as people flood us with seemingly convincing arguments. There is manipulation. Mark Twain once said, “The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake it you’ve got it made.” And then there’s us. Sam Johnson once said, “Go into the street and give a man a lecture on morality and give another a schilling and see which will respect you the most.” The problem of discernment goes both ways, after all as a man thinks so is he.

I’ll suggest a resource and then give you some highlights. “Asking the Right Questions –A Guide to Critical Thinking 7^th ed.” by Browne and Keeley, is not for the faint of heart. It can be skimmed by the highlights and you will gain enough situational awareness to know you’re being sold something from the wrong store.

First the structure behind what you are reading, hearing or watching. Somebody wants us to believe something, feel something and likely to conclude something. What is the solution or, like medicine, what is the prescription? Not only serious stuff has a message but often entertainment sends us messages. For instance is your entertainment prescribing the way life should be or is it simply reflecting life as it is? Simply put: How much stock should you put in what you took in? Remember the law of unintended consequences applies here. The message may not be the obvious one.

There are some questions to ask about the structure of what we are given in say, advertisement for instance. Does the belief, evidence or statements offered actually support the conclusion? New and improved for instance. As opposed to what? Does it mean it is the latest batch to hit the store and the box art is new and improved or it the product actually changed? Is the ad just meant to make you feel out of date because you have the old stuff? What does the product date mean anyway? Is what you are being told unclear, capable of saying a lot without saying anything?

Value statements may or may not be apparent. When being told such and such will make your life better, will it? Hidden here are unspoken values that drive the value of what is being said. If it connects with your values, it may be easily agreed with. If it makes you think, then think. Do a little research. Then decide. Did the emotional story or pictures portray reality overall or just in a narrow particular situation? Knowledge is not wisdom but knowledge can serve wisdom.

It is also common to have gaps in reasoning so the information given doesn’t match the conclusion proposed. Everything from marital and family arguments to political ads and product comparison uses this technique. The Personal Attack method: a person or item is attacked and insulted instead of directly addressing the issue. The Slippery Slope method: we are made to assume if a certain action is taken it will set off a chain reaction of events, even if there are safeguards that would not allow it. The Perfectionist Barrier: if some of the problem would be helped but not all of it, it is best to do nothing. The Redefining a Word method: Talk clearly about apples but all the while actually mean oranges. The Attack a Straw Man method: Set up an argument that leaves only one solution but never mention alternative options, especially if the “other side” suggested it. Teens are especially good at this next one but many adults having learned this trick use it, just more subtly. It’s the Claim Questionable Authority Method. “ALL my friends are doing it.” The world thinks such and such about Americans. What source are they using to make that statement? Claiming world opinion is a bit sketchy don't you think?

There is so much more available to us to learn how to process and filter information. This is only the first level of situational awareness. There are more questions to consider: How good is the evidence? Are there rival causes of this behavior? Are the statistics deceptive? What significant information is omitted? What reasonable conclusions are possible? Start with being aware it is your responsibility to look beneath the surface to gain wisdom and insight.

The deeper level of discernment is a more powerful filter. Our own world view comes into play. It is made up of our own values, assumptions, life experience and spiritual life or lack of it. You may not realize you have a world view but you do. It is the filter of your heart and we all have the problem of the penny. We say, “A penny for your thoughts and then put in our two cents.” Where does the other cent come from? If our hearts are rebellious and self centered, if that is the other “cent,” we can gain not understanding but negativity, hostility, and a general spirit of skepticism. So one more thing needs to be said:

We choose our “philosophic position” (world view) based on our perceived desires – this is a direct reflection of the condition of the heart. “The deepest problems of the human race are spiritual. They are rooted in man’s refusal to seek God’s way for his life. The problem is the human heart, which God alone can change.” Billy Graham

All discernment without considering your heart filter is incomplete and capable of leading according to our own wants and sin. Consider this timeless heart cleanser as you develop true discernment. “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation-the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ-for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”Phil 1:9-11 NLT