The Line
“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right through every human heart…”
When Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote this in his book Gulag Archipelago he was writing about human nature. This quote came to mind when I was describing the movie Nuremberg to a family member last night. And as I was reflecting on this famous quote today I remembered in my own life how paper then that line is in my own life.
Over the decades that I’ve been reading history books the one prominent theme throughout is the line that separates good and evil in human nature. It’s usually one event that tips the balance, turning a meek and mild mannered gentleman or lady into a raging lunatic. Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol shows us a greedy, money loving, cruel man turn into a generous and loving gentleman.
I also reflected on the events of this past weeks in Minneapolis. The loss of life is tragic, but the one glaring theme that nearly everyone missed is that each one of us makes choices. In addition to a man losing his life, the nation lost its mind. Each person choosing how to react. Each side, tribe, political party blaming the other side.
I’m choosing to pray for the dead man’s family, for the shooter and his family, for our country’s citizens, and for our elected leaders. I’m choosing to crowd out the evil in my heart with more good.
Join me.