Pondering: Minneapolis: Practicing: How We Learn to See (and Respond) More Wisely | Part 2

In our Cultural Agility Training, we introduce a tool called “DIR” in our workshops, which stands for Describe, Interpret, Respond. The brain and emotions must be slowed down. It takes a lot of discipline. It is a “practice that must be practiced” over and over again. Time is needed to consider all that has happened and various perspectives. Without intentional disruption, we skip this step, interpret instantly, and respond prematurely. Those quick-stepped responses cause relational or physical damage that can sometimes be irreversible.

Slow down, converse, listen, think, understand. Only after this can we wisely open the door to interpretation. This is best done by thinking through multiple possibilities. Asking questions like, "Could it be that ____ ?” Or, “Is it a possibility that ____?" This forces our brain to loosen its grip on subconscious conclusions. This is acutely relevant anytime we start to conclude what someone’s motives are. Motives are perhaps the most challenging thing in life to discern from the outside.

They are even difficult within oneself. Have you ever said to yourself, “I don’t know why I said that or did that?” Motives are a tricky thing. This shouldn’t surprise us. Scriptures tell us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9) and “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. (Prov 20:5)”

The path to objective discernment is further obscured by fear, threat, anger, anxiety, or distrust. Combine them, and the picture gets even blurrier. Emotions can serve us well when the risks are high and immediate action is necessary. However, they are intrusively blinding when situations are complex and nuanced. Assigning motive without a long, in-depth process of engagement and investigation more often than not leads to skewed interpretations.

Through measured thinking, meaningful relational engagement, and open-mindedness, we eventually arrive at our “best guess” of interpretation. That’s really about all we can get to, and that’s when we are close to a situation. The further we are from an impactful event, the more leeway we should allow for our tendency to err. You get to where you can, and then it’s time to respond.