Discernment in How We See Others: Purifying Our Perception w/ Denise Smith

Discernment doesn’t only guide our decisions.

It also shapes how we see people.

In this episode, we confront a hard truth Jesus teaches in Luke 6:41–42: it is possible to notice the speck in someone else’s eye while remaining blind to the plank in our own.

What we sometimes call discernment can quietly become criticism, suspicion, or judgment when humility is absent.

True discernment begins with self-examination.

It slows us down before we accuse.
It pauses us before we react.
It forces us to admit we may not have the full story.

Because only God sees the whole heart.

Discernment listens longer than it speaks.
Discernment examines itself before correcting others.
Discernment chooses love before conclusion.

When shaped by the Spirit, discernment purifies our perception—and protects our relationships.