This week has been full of international turmoil. We see images of war and destruction coming out of Ukraine and wonder how people can be so cruel to others. It reminds me of a quote Aleksander Solzhenitsyn said about the line between good and evil.
“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either — but right through every human heart —and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even within hearts overwhelmed by evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained.”
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 (Abridged))
The Line We Cross
Each day, we have a choice on which side of the line we cross.
- Do we waver to the side of good or evil?
- Do we make our own world better or worse?
- Are we part of the problem or solution?
Good is worth fighting for! Throughout history, we have seen violence and barbarism directed against others. And unfortunately, we have seen individuals hide behind the actions of their country and claim they were only doing what their leaders told them to do.
Yet, all nations are made of individuals. Each of us has the choice between good and evil every day. While we can justify any actions, in the end, we are all accountable for our individual actions.
Too often, we ask, “What can I do? I’m just one person.” Indeed, what can we do when there is so much evil in the world?
When each of us chooses to do good towards others, we sow seeds of goodness. Consequently, when we sow seeds of evil, we reap what we sow.
Solzhenitsyn paid a price for choosing good and standing up against evil. We too can be part of the problem or the solution. Each one of us is required to make the choice as we stand on the line between good and evil.