We all want a clear line between good and evil. And, we want to be on the ‘good’ side. “I’m right, you’re wrong. That’s it!” This is on full display in our current political climate. Someone is a ‘nazi’ or a ‘moron’. They’re ‘dangerous’… a ‘threat’ and must be stopped. But, what if it isn’t that simple. What if Solzhenitsyn had it right when he said:
“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956
Solzhenitsyn’ quote
Solzhenitsyn was a Russian who was sent to the gulag for criticizing Stalin. He was able to look at human nature when it was under the most stressful conditions. It was this experience that led him to the conclusion expressed in the above quote. But, what does the quote mean?
I’m going to break it down into three parts.
- Part 1 – Good v Evil
- Part 2 – A line in everyone’s heart
- Part 3 – Destroying a piece of your heart
Part 1 – Good v Evil
First off, there is good and there is evil. That is something that everyone used to agree on. But, lately more people prefer to think of the everything as being various shades of grey.
We hear about ‘your truth’. People say that we can’t know what’s right in certain situations because we don’t know someone else’s experience. We call that ‘situational ethics‘. Everything requires context in order to determine what is right or good.
But, the world has changed. Many who used say that ‘good’ is relative have no problem calling someone a ‘nazi’, ‘moron’ or a ‘threat’. There is no longer any grey. They believe there is evil in a person that is dangerous. And, that person is unredeemable. They must be stopped at all costs, using any method possible.
“I’m on this side of the line and THEY are on the other side of the line.” But, is it that simple?
Part 2 – A line in everyone’s heart
What if the line doesn’t separate good v. evil people? What if the line goes through the heart of all people?
People make choices every moment of every day. The kindest person has the capacity to do terrible things. The most mean-spirited person can surprise you with an act of kindness. No one is 100% good or evil.
Solzhenitsyn is not denying that some people do good things and some people do evil things. He’s saying that people don’t exist solely on one side of that line. They oscillate back and forth. And this oscillation can occur frequently in a person’s life.
It is true that most people tend to act more from one side or the other. Those that fluctuate back and forth could be referred to as ‘double minded’. They’re unstable. You never know what you’re going to get from them. The Bible mentions them in James:
5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8 ESV
The idea here is that you need an anchor to keep you on the ‘good’ side of the line. And, God is willing to give you that assistance. But, there is a problem.
Part 3 – Destroying a piece of your heart
“Who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” We have desires. Things that we want badly. And, those things are not always good. That’s a hard pill to swallow. But, the inability to resist these desires is what Solzhenitsyn is talking about.
Our unbridled desires lead us to act in an evil manner. And, everyone has this universal pull. Again, the Bible gives us clear insight in the book of James:
1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
James 4:1-3 ESV
Our desire to have more leads us to murder. We might not get a gun or a knife. We might murder someone with our words.
People have things that we want. That bothers us. We get angry and argumentative. “Why can’t I have that house?” “Why do they have all that money”. They need to share it! And, I want it!!
Destroying these desires is difficult. But in order to make inroads you’ll need to start off by WANTING to destroy these desires. This is an idea that christians refer to as ‘repentance’. A desire to turn away from evil desires.
And, this isn’t a once and done decision. Every moment of every day is a challenge. We have to destroy this part of our heart!
Application
I hope that you see that no one is ‘all good’ and no one is ‘all evil’. Everyone is subject to the same battles in their lives. Yes, some appear to be more on one side than the other, but don’t kid yourself. We all have the capacity to act in both incredibly good and hideously evil ways.
The real question isn’t, “Is this or that person good or evil?”. The question is,
“What are you going to do with your own battle with good and evil?”.
If you are willing to jump into this fight, you’ll need help. God is willing to give you the support you need to win! Here’s some encouragement from the book of James:
8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
James 1:8-10 ESV
I encourage you to investigate this matter further by reading the Bible. Begin with a book called John. Good luck in your battle with good and evil!