Talking Down or Coming Down?

Hey, Y'all,

So today we're kind of picking up where we left off last time (although this thought actually preceded that one). A few weeks ago in men's group we were discussing James 4 and paused at verses 11 and 12:

Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters...Who are you to judge your neighbor?

The commentary we're reading from added this (my paraphrase):

James' admonition 'Do not speak evil against' is, more specifically, 'do not defame' or 'do not denigrate.' A defamatory word may be perfectly true; we do not have to tell lies in order to defame. But the fact that it is true gives us no right to say it. True or false, it puts us in a position of (supposed) superiority from which we can not but 'talk down' to them. If we profess to humbly bow low before our Lord, our Savior, how can we possibly be in a position to 'talk down' to anyone?

Suppose I do know something to someone's discredit; be it ever so true, my task is not to publicize it, nor even privately to berate him with it, but to go where he is and lift him up. I must be the Samaritan to him; he is my neighbor. There is no room for talking down but only for coming down to where the one in need is, identifying with the need and abandoning self-interest so as to meet it. We are, after all, professing to follow His example, are we not?

Words to live by...

You've been prayed for today.