What is Good?

And here comes a point in my life when I am confused about 'good' and 'bad'. No, I am not the slightest bit depressed; in fact, I am a bit too happy for Easter term because I have been blessed with so many good friends around and opportunities to grow. But recently, I had a conversation with a friend and we talked about how some people we call 'good' or generally perceived as 'good', were actually very mean to us. And we were like, 'how are those people good?' And there were just times when unjust things happen to good people (like the flood of political stupidity happening in my country now), when bad things happened to innocent people (the recent earthquake in Nepal) or things which I think were not fair happened to me (I have been holding grudge against generally well-perceived mean people). These moments really made me go, 'God, you are a good, loving God. I am sure you have your plans, but why all these unjust sufferings? If this is good, I don't know what is good anymore."

There are times when I thought something is good for me but when it turns out to be really bad; and there are times when I thought I've been through hell, but on hindsight, those hellish days are the ones which pruned me most. I don't even know how to judge what is good anymore? I mean, I know what loving is and how a loving act should be like, but what is 'good'? How do you define someone/something as 'good' or 'bad'?

Thank God for Psalms 73. 

We can never judge each other when we are on the same plane as them. Who are you to be more superior to judge over a fellow human being? What gives you the right to be the moral police and label someone as 'good' or 'bad'? There are times when you, yourself is so mean that you hate yourself too, remember? 

Indeed "When I tried to understand this, it toubled me deeply, till I entered the sanctuary of God, then I understood their final destiny". It is not to say, "you, non-believer go to hell, burn!" Really, no. But rather, it teaches me not to judge others, because since we are all of the same level, how can we ensure we can judge rightly/justly? The only One who can judge is God, who is on a higher level and can see clearly all that is happening.  Only He can judge justly. Things that may seem unjust, bad for us on plain sight, may not be completely bad. I never ever mean to say earthquake/other natural disaster that took away thousands of live is a good thing, I empathise with the lost of those precious souls. I don't know what God's plans is through all these devastating disasters that should not happen to good and innocent people, but it is not up to us to judge God. The fact that Jesus died to remove our sins from us, the fact that we are still here and the fact that we still know what 'love' is - those are enough for me to come to a conclusion for my faith in God.

So let's not judge others then have selective treatment, because no good will come out of that and we don't know the full picture. (Unless you're a judge, then you judge according to the law because you have the full knowledge of this human construct.) Rather, let's just keep our hearts pure and be loving towards everyone, because it will not be in vain when the day comes. 

(I need to work on the habit of constantly passing judgement onto people)