NOVEMBER 18, James 4:17

As Angela turned over a rock in the playground, she drew back. “Yuck! Look at all the icky bugs hiding under this rock, Mom!” she exclaimed. “They look like they’re wearing armor. And they don’t seem to like the light. I think they’re looking for a dark place to hide.”

Mom and Angela watched the bugs scurry around. “Those are sow bugs, and I think you’re right,” Mom agreed. “The leader of my Bible study group used these bugs as an illustration a few weeks ago, and here they are!” Angela glanced at her mother in surprise. “An illustration of what?”

“The lesson was on how we sometimes like to hold on to certain sins. Mrs. Lee pointed out that we scramble to find hiding places for the sin in our hearts just like these bugs scurry around, looking for dark hiding places,” explained Mom. “We try to keep our sin in the dark – but God sees it!”

“You know what? My Sunday school teacher told us there are two kinds of sin,” said Angela. “She said we commit sins of com… ah-h-h… commission and sins of omission.” Angela was rather pleased with herself as she used the big words. “And do you know what that means?” asked Mom with a smile.

Angela nodded. “Miss Teo explained the difference to us. The sins of commission are the bad things we think or do,” answered Angela. “Like… it’s a sin to cheat or lie or say something to hurt somebody.”

“That’s exactly right,” agreed Mom. “And what are the sins of omission?” “That’s when we don’t do things we should do,” answered Angela. “Like not telling someone about Jesus when we feel like God wants us to or not helping somebody when we know we should.”

“Good for you!” Mom smiled. “You remembered that lesson very well.” Angela nodded as she watched the last of the insects disappear. “I’ll think of these guys as sin bugs from now on,” she said. “They’ll be a reminder that I don’t want either kind of sin hiding in my heart.”

Thought: Are sins of commission and sins of omission new terms to you? Doing wrong is obviously sin, but failing to do what you should do is sin, too. That would be a sin of omission.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know You can see everything and I know sometimes, I try to hide a wrong thing I’ve done. Or hoping no one will notice that I haven’t done something I should do. Help me, Heavenly Father, to confess all my sins and trust You to help me do the things I should do and say no to things I shouldn’t do. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.