In my previous blog post, I sought to answer the question,
“Could the sophistication of the truth be more important than the truth itself?”
As a reminder, the manner in which truth is presented is what I consider to be the “sophistication of the truth.”
Before I could dive into this exploration with you, though, we had to lay the groundwork for what truth really is and choose the lens through which we could examine this question together. We discussed the Greek word αλήθεια, from which “truth” is derived, which means:
The state of not being hidden; the state of being evident.
The manifested, unconcealed essence of a matter.
Given the gravity of this question, let us examine three factors that lend to the sophistication of truth.
The Sophistication Of The Truth
Truth is transcendent, existing apart from you or me affording its permission. It simply is.
Truth is like gold; apart from sophistication, it is banged and bruised in the process of an unchecked presentation.
Truth is utterly precious and must be preserved at all costs, lest its integrity skew in translation.
The sophistication of the manner in which truth is presented is essential for the sake of its preservation, entailing three essential qualities.
Gentleness
Gentle | Soft, free from harshness; to raise from the commonalty (ennoble)
I love the latter part of this definition: “To raise from the commonalty.”
Ultimately, to extend gentleness is to elevate, to hold in regard — despite backgrounds or education or upbringing. Collectively, these lived experiences often inform mindsets and behaviors.
For example, we learn quickly as a child to change behaviors after touching a hot stove.
Taking the time and consideration to understand “Why?” can unveil a host of experiences that impact us today. Tracing the root of the mindset or behavior to the past that informs the present. When tracing the roots to the past, we typically find the inciting experiences that formed the foundational lenses through which we view the world. These experiences most often occurred during our impressionable years of childhood.
Therefore, observing something we do not like in ourselves or another presents the perfect opportunity to extend gentleness — to be gentle toward the child or adolescent who initially shaped the mindsets or behaviors.
Wisdom
Wise | Adjective: Marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment; having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
Wise | Noun: A way of being.
Over the last nearly three years of deploying “Why?” in the pursuit of what is true, I have considered the mere knowledge of the truth, much less my reflections on it, as not enough.
I want to cultivate the lens through which I both see and respond to what is: I want to be wise.
I first want to cultivate wisdom to safeguard my mind and soul when considering the input — the external voices and opinions and data around me. Subsequently, I want wisdom to guide my words, behaviors, and actions so that my manifested, holistic output is in alignment with my Ideal and guided by my values.
Wisdom, as a noun, is a way of being.
It informs the delivery of truth based on knowing both you and the other party, considering past experiences, data, and learned insights.
Patience
Patience | Noun: the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed:
Patience speaks to the timing of truth, informed by gentleness and guided by wisdom. Proper timing can be the very secret as to whether the truth you speak is received.
Patience protects you from yourself, removing any hint of anger or annoyance that could propel the truth forward at inopportune moments at risk of convoluting its message. Fundamentally, patience fosters the presentation of the truth for its maximum impact.
Together, gentleness, wisdom, and patience facilitate the sophistication of the truth and, therefore, preserve the truth so that its meaning survives the transfer from one person to another.
Read the following blog post, where we will discuss the roles that emotions and human nature play in the presentation and preservation of truth and how it all can lead to internal freedom.
