This is one of the toughest verses in the Bible - it's even a sin to not do what you know is right! How many times have I been convincted of that? I can't even begin to count. Jesus didn't call us to join his kingdom so we could cower in fear, and certainly not so we would ignore the injustice and evil in the world! This is a reminder that it is our DUTY to do the right thing. This means excuses are sin - no matter how reasonable or small. This scripture is a call to courage and a spiritual life of action!

At the same time, it is  hard to forget that we are still forgiven our sins, even one such as this. How great a God! This short verse in James is just proof that he wants the best for us. Doing what is right will only get us gain, but sometimes it's tough. He acknowledges that. By calling it sin, we are encouraged to do the right thing. By remembering his grace, we know we have more opportunities to get our hearts straight and keep working on it.