Big or Small
Scripture Reading — James 2:1-13
Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Little Mary came crying to her mother: “Johnny splashed mud on my white dress again!” Mom scolded the little brother, saying, “Johnny, why did you do that?” He argued, “Mom, it’s only a few tiny spots this time; it’s not a big deal.” Mom said, “Whether it has a few spots or a big stain, Mary’s white dress is changed completely. It’s not white anymore.”
Often we are like Johnny; we try to trivialize our wrongdoing. We even project our thinking onto God. James wrote about showing favoritism to certain people while ignoring or putting down others. It’s easy to think that favoritism is no big deal and that many other sins are more serious or offensive to God. But James pointed out that even one sin makes us guilty. I once heard this memorable saying from an old preacher: “No sin is too heavy for Christ to bear, and no sin is too light for Christ to spare.” Committing one sin is already too many!
How then can we be saved? Is there any hope? Yes! Our salvation is secured by the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1-2). He shed his blood to pay the price for all of our sins, whether they are big or small in our human eyes.
Have you experienced that salvation and forgiveness that come only through Christ?
Thank you, Jesus, for paying the debt of all our sins. Help us to live lives worthy of your sacrifice. In your name we pray. Amen.
About the author — Jimmy Tai-On Lin
Rev. Jimmy Lin is the Chinese ministry leader of The Back to God Hour. With his staff in Palos Heights and Hong Kong, Rev. Lin has ministered to over 1.3 billion Chinese-speaking people around the world for 16 years through radio, literature, CD/DVD, Internet, and text message. His wife, Doris, is one of the translators of Today into the Chinese language, which now has a circulation of more than 45,000 copies.
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