Big or Small

Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: MATTHEW 7:1-5; JAMES 2:10; 1 JOHN 1:7-9

Are you ever tempted to believe that your sins are bigger or smaller than somebody else’s? It’s an easy lie to fall into. But in God’s sight, there are no big or small sins. It’s all just plain sin.

It might be helpful to think of sin like stepping on a rock. Whether you trip over a large rock or step barefoot on a small, sharp pebble, it hurts! Stumbling on a rock of any size can stop us in our tracks. It’s easy to think that “small” sins like hiding the truth, gossip, and jealousy aren’t really a big deal, but even little pebbles can cause great pain. James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” When we commit a sin that seems small to us, we may think it’s not so bad. But the Bible says if we break just one small part of God’s law, we’re as guilty as if we’d broken every part.

Now, that doesn’t mean we might as well sin big because it’s all the same to God. But instead of pointing a finger at others when they sin, insisting their sins are bigger than ours, we need to confess our own sins to God. Our sin has caused each one of us to stumble and fall, but Jesus wants to pick us back up and tenderly care for our wounds. He took all our sin upon Himself on the cross, and then He was resurrected from the dead to defeat sin and death. If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, all our sins are paid for. He forgives us for all of them—past, present, and future.

So whenever we sin, we can admit our guilt to God, receive His forgiveness, and ask for His help to keep walking. Through the Holy Spirit, He will help us turn away from sin and look for ways we could make things right, such as apologizing, telling the truth, or providing payment for something we’ve damaged or stolen (Luke 19:1-10).

God knows that sin hurts everything it touches. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus, so we could be forgiven and saved from sin. So none of us has any right to think we’re better than someone else. Instead of being critical of others, we can look for sins in our own lives, then confess them to God and walk forward with Him. • A. W. Smith

• What sins are you tempted to think of as “small”? Why do you think there’s no such thing as “small” sin in God’s eyes?

• God always wants to forgive and restore us. How can remembering God’s perfect grace help us confess all our sins to Him? (Find out more about His forgiveness through Jesus on our "Know Jesus" page.)

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