James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

It strikes me that the specific sin given as an example here is partiality. Most people don’t even think of that as a sin at all! We have trouble grasping just how holy, pure, and righteous God is, and so take our own sins far too lightly. In further explanation James uses the recognizably major sins of adultery and murder as examples, but he starts with simply treating people differently on the basis of external characteristics. There are people in America today who are mandating that we do exactly that! This is why Paul could assert so clearly, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) This is why repentance is an ongoing activity for anyone who is drawing closer to God. We aren’t to keep picking at ourselves neurotically, but we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit any time He shows us anything in our life that isn’t pleasing to the Father. As Paul wrote, “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:4) The Lord had me define sin recently as being anything that is out of character for God. That means that the more we learn of Him, and the more we learn of ourselves, the more accurate our repentance will become. My father’s expression, used widely in evangelism, is quite applicable here as well: “Give all you know of yourself to all you know of Christ.” We should be growing in both those areas all our life, so repentance for each discrepancy should be automatic.

Of course, I’m preaching to myself here. I have recently had to repent of being overly open about my own weaknesses to someone who didn’t have the maturity to handle the information. I realize now that in a sense I was bragging about my sin, and that’s certainly wrong. All my life I have tended to think that my high IQ made me more “right” than others, but in thinking about it, we all like to justify ourselves. If anything, my high IQ gives me less excuse for my mistakes! Only God is always right, and only God is perfectly righteous. This morning I will be with a man who has asked for “a class in Christianity.” He’s an older gentleman who has received a cancer diagnosis, and he’s getting serious about end-of-life issues. I am to relate to him on equal terms, despite the fact that I’ve been steeped in Christianity since birth and he’s been playing around the edges. I will be using a pamphlet I wrote a few years ago, “The Foundation of Faith in Christ,” getting him to read it to me, asking questions any time he encounters something he doesn’t understand. I’ve got to remember that he is as valuable to God as I am, despite the many differences between us, and so accurately present God’s love and grace to him. Anything less would be sin on my part.

Father, I ask for the clear presence of Your Spirit as I meet with that man this morning, and also as I meet with a close friend this afternoon, and then have an online session with another friend this evening. May I be Your agent to each one, allowing You to bless them through me and at the same time receiving Your blessing through them, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!