Our cultural communication — if it can be called communication — is awash with vitriol and invective. Social media, particularly, is a tsunami of hate speech, not in the ideological sense but in the spiritual sense: speech that reveals spiritual bitterness and darkness. The wisdom of St. James — the wisdom from above — appointed for our reading in the Morning Office today is pertinent and instructive, helpful for self-assessment and for the discernment of spirits in what others write and speak. How do we know what is good, what is from the Spirit, what is wisdom and truth from above?

James 3:13–18 (ESV): 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

How do we know what is good, what is from the Spirit, what is wisdom and truth from above?

Is it pure? Is it peaceable? Is it gentle? Is it open to reason? Is it full of mercy and good fruits? Is it impartial and sincere?

This does not preclude difficult speech, hard truth; but it does address the spirit with which such speech must be offered, the spirit with which such speech especially must be offered.