Mon., 11/21/16 Devotion (Jas. 3:2a)

Today's encouragement comes from James 3:2a, where we read these words:

"For we all stumble in many things. . . . "

This gentle reminder (above) is helpful for us today (and everyday). First of all, it makes us be more gracious, kind, forgiving, forbearing, and understand-ing toward other sinners; and secondly, it humbles us—so that we do not trust in ourselves.

The simple reality is that we are all flawed sinners, fallen in Adam. There is no way we can totally avoid doing untoward things from time to time. On top of that, it is our very nature to sin. Only the grace of Christ, who provides us His new and perfect nature, allows us to have any success at all. Let us "cut each other a bunch of slack” today—as we realize we are "in this boat to-gether."

[Puritan quote of the day: "Justification admits of no degrees. No, not in heav-en—you are not more justified there than you are here. You are now as per-fectly justified as ever and as accepted of Christ as ever.” —Jeremiah Bur-roughs, in, "Gospel Remission"]