April 26

Little Sins

So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. — Matt 5:19 BSB

Many people are careful to avoid breaking major commandments or committing serious sins, yet they regularly commit small wrongs without any hesitation.

They wouldn’t tell a direct lie, but their speech is full of little falsehoods. They wouldn’t steal money from someone’s pocket, but they frequently commit small acts of theft. For example, when the grocer gives them a penny too much in change, they don’t think about returning it. Or if the postage stamp on a letter is left uncanceled, they’ll reuse it. They wouldn’t deliberately ruin a neighbor’s reputation, but they’ll repeat harmful rumors they’ve heard, damaging the person’s character. They wouldn’t curse like someone on the street, but they frequently use mild substitutes for profane oaths like “Goodness!” or “Mercy!” They avoid flagrant acts of wickedness, but their lives are riddled with small selfishnesses, impurities, bad tempers, and thoughtless habits.

We need to remember that small disobediences lower us, diminishing our witness for the kingdom of heaven. Little sins damage the beauty of our character. They also tend to grow. And often, their consequences can be far-reaching. A small crack in a lute can grow and eventually destroy all the music. A tiny leak in a dike can turn into a torrent, flooding vast areas. We should never tolerate even the smallest faults or evil habits. Instead, we should aim for perfection. True perfection is made up of attention to small details.