Nauvoo Times - Vickey Pahnke Taylor

Triple filter. Sometimes I need the triple-filter process as an advanced protection system — for me and for anyone I may speak about, just in case I’m tempted (when upset, not thinking clearly, or temporarily bothered) to say something I shouldn’t.

In the most correct and Christian terms, it’s the rule we were taught as children. “If you can’t say something nice, don’t’ say anything at all.”

As we’re working on ourselves — digging out a flaw here, scouring off a personal weakness there — it’s nice to have specific tools that assist in our divine growth.

There is an old story about using a triple-filter process before we speak to others. It is, obviously, paraphrased. And we’ve all heard similar stories, with credit given to one person or another. Let’s just give the credit to the Savior. It is His work and His Church that gives us the necessary tools, attributes, and processes we need. All light and goodness come from Him. And He is our way back to our Father.

Here’s the story. The triple filters? Truth, Goodness, and Usefulness:

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

Socrates wisely spoke these words: "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. It is a triple-filter test.

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?" "Well, no," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and…"

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Let us try the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"Umm, no, on the contrary…"

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test, though, because there’s one filter left. It is the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "Why, my friend, would you want to tell me something that is neither true, nor good, nor even useful? Would it not be better to not tell me at all?”

Even when I’m a whiner forty-niner, I’d be wise to remember the triple-filter test — ever day, all the time.

Like Winnie the Pooh, I need to carry that pot for Very Useful Things, and pull them out when needed. Among them would be the triple-filter test. When all is said and done, only goodness, truth, and useful things will matter.

Christ taught it this way: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

If we are to “love [our] neighbor as [our]self,” this test will bless us on a daily basis. And it’s a pretty simple tool to get in the habit of using.

God bless us to take a simple, loving approach when we speak of another. What a lovely way of simplifying our lives!