Righteousness and Wrongness

All throughout high school I really didn't do much of anything wrong.  I never got a detention, didn't fail any classes, and definitely didn't do anything to get in trouble for on the weekends (except maybe try and get my 10:00 curfew changed a couple of times).  I mean I fought with my parents and got my phone taken away a couple of times, but really the only thing I was ever really seriously punished for was six-putting and in a way, that worked in my favor too!

Because I never did anything wrong though, I tended to judge people who did - or did what I thought was wrong.  When my closest friends started going off to college and doing these things that I was just so against, I judged them.  I told them to stop.  I told them I didn't know who they were anymore.  I basically was letting something that I was afraid of ruin our friendship.  Now let me just take a moment to say that my friends really weren't doing anything that crazy at all...Like I was uncomfortable with people going to parties, just cause I thought that just meant bad things.  It in fact, does not.

As I began my college career I was still skeptical on where I stood on some things.  My friends forgave me for harassing them to no end, but it was still up in the air as to what I really thought about this whole college thing.  What is right really?  And what makes something wrong?

Going through these past two years I have met so many people, who believe so many different things, and I have grown more than I could ever imagine possible in such a short period of time.  I've been amazed by how many different views of right and wrong there are, and how my own views have changed as well.  Essentially what I think I've learned is that, I don't really think anyone knows for sure how to define right and wrong.  Who are we to decide that anyways?  Not to say that we shouldn't have our own sets of morals and stay strong in our faith, but even still, who are we to judge?

My family are people I look up to so much as role models on how to model a Christian life, but I can't say I live it out perfectly.  I also can't say I agree %100 with everything they believe.  That's not what I think is important though.  What I think is important is that, as Christians (and I think most faiths in general), it is our job to be forgiving and loving to one another regardless of the circumstance.  Unconditional love.  That's what we're taught.  If someone I love is doing something I believe to be wrong I will undoubtedly let them know, but I will try and do so in a way that doesn't impose judgement, but instead provides assistance.  I'd expect anyone who loves me to do the same.  It's not an easy thing to do, and I've definitely failed in the past, but I guess what I'm trying to say is, right and wrong only matter to an extent.  Everyone will never agree on everything.  Not that we should surround ourselves by people who disagree with us on everything and have no morals, but I think there's a happy medium to be found.  By and large, I think it's our job to not let ourselves become caught up in the wrong, but also not to find ourselves becoming self-righteous in what we believe to be right.