In light of our present social and political climate, I've found some of the words of this week's reading in James to be incredibly relevant - especially now, as our read through the Bible begins to draw to a close, and we consider all that we have begun to learn.

There is so much being said and done that we don't know if we understand, and that we struggle to relate to. There are so many arguments on both sides that are filled with holes - cleverly disguised by passion. There are sweeping generalizations, guilt trips, and cruel words; there are lofty causes, soul-searching questions, and many different methods of wielding history. We need wisdom to navigate these, to find the genuine truth in a maze of counterfeits - but who among us is wise? Or perhaps the more basic question we need to answer is, what is real wisdom? How do we know when we are taking in wisdom, as opposed to just grand and persuasive words?