A farmer does several things during harvest. Firstly, there is threshing. This process involves beating the stalks to lose the grains from the plant. Following this is winnowing. This is the process by which the grain plus the chaff is tossed into the air. The wind blows the chaff away, being lighter, and the heavier grains fall into a receptacle. I think there is a sense in saying that “winnowing” is an essential aspect of effective leadership. In reality, everyone who wants to make the most of life must master the art of “winnowing”.

In reality, everyone who wants to make the most of life must master the art of “winnowing”…You cannot afford to take to heart everything you hear.

Different kinds of information that come to us are seldom in their pure state. Some are unverified and unverifiable hearsay. Others are absolute lies or at best exaggeration. Unless we know how to separate truth from lies, fact from fiction, genuine concern from sheer sycophancy, we might end up destroying what we are building. In my role, I can’t fully recall how many conflicting information I get on a situation or some persons. If I were given to impulsive reactions to everything I hear, I would have caused damage to individuals and to the ministry. You cannot afford to take to heart everything you hear. The best thing to do is to tell God about everything you are told. His Spirit will help you to sieve and shift things appropriately. His wisdom will also help you to know what to dismiss and what requires further action.