¹⁷Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Living the God-honoring, Christlike life is not about passive morality, just avoiding doing what is wrong. It is also about actively doing what is right. James has begun this theme already and will continue in the next two chapters. He always flips the coin to the other side with concise, positive assertions like today’s verse. Each of these could make a sermon in its own right.

The meaning of our verse today is clear on the surface. But it begs the question, what is the “right thing to do”? As a general statement or truism, it is a good principle for life, as it moves the believer away from being a passive bystander who lives life to avoid trouble. God created us to be proactive, to make a positive difference. As the saying goes, we should leave the world a better place than we found it. Life for everyone would certainly be better if we all followed that rule.

In context, this assertion follows the previous verses, which point us to recognize God’s supremacy in our everyday lives. This outlook is the opposite of arrogant boasting or planning our lives without considering God’s sovereignty. The good thing that we should do, then, is to consciously and humbly engage with God in every area of our life—not just the large issues of life, but the details as well.

Some will argue that as Christians we must think of other things in life besides conscious meditation about God. We must not be, as some quip, so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. But no one can lay that charge against James’ teaching; of all the NT writers, he was the most down to earth in his application of spiritual truth to life. Does this verse mean a Christian cannot go to the store to enjoy a chocolate milkshake without first consulting God in prayer? Should we feel guilty when engaged in innocuous things of everyday life, like putting on our socks in the morning? If a mosquito bites, we scratch it; no need to stop and pray about it.

No, James is simply saying we should strive to add value to those around us, rather than merely avoiding offense. There is nothing worse than a life lived without making a positive impact. That, in James’ train of thought, is sin. We were not created by God to simply to make it to the end without sinning. The apostle Paul put it this way: ^“[W]e are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

Lord, today show me an opportunity to add value to another person’s life.