The Three Sieves
What is a sieve? Well, my freshman year in college the dorm RA (resident assistant) was named Jim Sieve, but of course, that’s not what we’re after here. If you do much cooking, maybe you know what the word means. According to the dictionary, a sieve is a utensil consisting of a wire mesh held within a frame, used for straining solids from liquids. In other words, a filter.
The story is told of a man who approached the famous Greek philosopher Socrates with this question: “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?” Socrates replied, “Before you tell me, I would like to test you with the three sieves.” The questioner was confused, “The three sieves, I’m not sure I understand.” “Well,” continued Socrates, “Before you tell me something about another person, it’s good to take the time and filter what you’re about to say. I call it the test of the three sieves. The first sieve is simply the Truth. Have you checked to make sure what you’re about to tell me is true?”
The questioner looked down at his feet and responded, “No, I just heard it.” “So,” said Socrates, “you don’t know if its true. Let’s continue with the second sieve, which is Kindness. What you want to tell me about my friend, is it something good?” “Oh no,” said the questioner, “on the contrary!” Socrates looked at him and stated, “You want to tell me something bad about my friend and you don’t know if it’s true or not, correct?” “Well, I guess that is correct,” came the reply.
“Maybe you can still pass the test of the third sieve, which is Utility. Is it useful that I know what you’re going to tell me about my friend?” asked Socrates, “Can I use it to help him in any way?” “Not really,” came the answer. “So,” concluded Socrates, “what you were going to tell me about my friend is not known to be true, not good, nor useful. Why then did you want to tell me this?”
We all know, probably on numerous occasions, people who have been hurt by the spread of gossip. Maybe we have been ourselves. Gossip is often not true, not kind, nor is it useful. Even if it is true, if there is nothing the other person can do to help make a positive difference, it appears we tell it for our own pleasure, not with the motive to help. In fact, when that’s the case, it hurts.
We often reference Romans 1 when showing that God does not approve of homosexuality (verse 27), but in this same chapter, just a few verses down, we find the Apostle Paul condemning several practices of people who do not acknowledge God, including gossips (vs 29). As we take advantage of the three- sieve process of Socrates, we recognize that it seeks to provide a more wholesome approach to sharing information about others. We find similar words from Paul in Ephesians 4:29 where we read, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
A close relationship with Christ (involving daily devotion, Bible study, and prayer) will make us filter what is good from God’s perspective when talking about others; and referencing Romans 1:29 again, when we do not have this close relationship with the Lord, we fail to acknowledge him in this way.
The sieve concept can serve several purposes. Not only helping us filter what can become gossip, but just keeping our language in check, also helping us in the decision-making process so we have methods in place as we narrow the input for progress to be made, etc. But for our topic, consider the three-sieve concept when tempted to talk about other people. Is it true, is it kind, does it help?
The story is told of a man who approached the famous Greek philosopher Socrates with this question: “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?” Socrates replied, “Before you tell me, I would like to test you with the three sieves.” The questioner was confused, “The three sieves, I’m not sure I understand.” “Well,” continued Socrates, “Before you tell me something about another person, it’s good to take the time and filter what you’re about to say. I call it the test of the three sieves. The first sieve is simply the Truth. Have you checked to make sure what you’re about to tell me is true?”
The questioner looked down at his feet and responded, “No, I just heard it.” “So,” said Socrates, “you don’t know if its true. Let’s continue with the second sieve, which is Kindness. What you want to tell me about my friend, is it something good?” “Oh no,” said the questioner, “on the contrary!” Socrates looked at him and stated, “You want to tell me something bad about my friend and you don’t know if it’s true or not, correct?” “Well, I guess that is correct,” came the reply.
“Maybe you can still pass the test of the third sieve, which is Utility. Is it useful that I know what you’re going to tell me about my friend?” asked Socrates, “Can I use it to help him in any way?” “Not really,” came the answer. “So,” concluded Socrates, “what you were going to tell me about my friend is not known to be true, not good, nor useful. Why then did you want to tell me this?”
We all know, probably on numerous occasions, people who have been hurt by the spread of gossip. Maybe we have been ourselves. Gossip is often not true, not kind, nor is it useful. Even if it is true, if there is nothing the other person can do to help make a positive difference, it appears we tell it for our own pleasure, not with the motive to help. In fact, when that’s the case, it hurts.
We often reference Romans 1 when showing that God does not approve of homosexuality (verse 27), but in this same chapter, just a few verses down, we find the Apostle Paul condemning several practices of people who do not acknowledge God, including gossips (vs 29). As we take advantage of the three- sieve process of Socrates, we recognize that it seeks to provide a more wholesome approach to sharing information about others. We find similar words from Paul in Ephesians 4:29 where we read, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
A close relationship with Christ (involving daily devotion, Bible study, and prayer) will make us filter what is good from God’s perspective when talking about others; and referencing Romans 1:29 again, when we do not have this close relationship with the Lord, we fail to acknowledge him in this way.
The sieve concept can serve several purposes. Not only helping us filter what can become gossip, but just keeping our language in check, also helping us in the decision-making process so we have methods in place as we narrow the input for progress to be made, etc. But for our topic, consider the three-sieve concept when tempted to talk about other people. Is it true, is it kind, does it help?