We often point fingers and blame others for difficulties we face, avoiding taking personal or collective responsibility. We avoid acknowledgement. We hide our misdeeds. We lie to others about our choices; we lie to ourselves. These are the actions of immaturity.

Children do this almost instinctively, blaming a sibling or classmate for their actions when called out for misbehaving. I remember my kids doing this. "I had to bite her 'cause she hit me!" Who hasn't seen a child whose face is covered in chocolate lie about eating candy?

I remember thinking that grownups were better than me because they didn't make the mistakes I did, or lie about them. I figured I would become a good person by the time I grew up. But I was naive. Age doesn't improve morality. That is true above and below. In fact, the older we get, the less excuses we have because we know better.

We are responsible for our choices both individually and collectively. If we stay silent when evil is done that benefits us, we are complicit. It's easy to claim to be too small to do anything, to feel powerless because you are not in charge. This is a cop-out. We make choices that allow evil to continue. We buy products from evil doers. We elect them. We put our head down and walk right by someone hurting another. We don't want to put a target on our backs. We don't want social stigma or embarrassment, or backlash. This is cowardly, based entirely on fear, and allows evil to spread.

Some people think it's okay to not do what is right because they think they are only hurting themselves. They see themselves as victims of circumstance, or claim to have no control. This is another way we lie to ourselves. It's my childhood trauma, it's my addiction, it's my genetic predisposition, it's the flaws of others that caused me to do this to myself.

There is an entire grievance industry offering false absolution for the choices you make. Understand that you don't live in a vacuum. If you drink yourself to death, or take drugs you know will damage you in order to get high, or smoke until your lungs are destroyed, you are intentionally choosing to shorten your life. It may be a passive choice, but again, that choice is still yours, and it is not victimless. Those who love you will suffer from your premature absence. They will not have you there to uplift them. They will feel abandoned or alone, or both. Your selfishness will cause them pain. Can you live with that?

We live in a world with perceived privacy. We think no one is watching, or can see what we hide from others or ourselves. That couldn't be further from the truth. You know who is watching? You! And God! In your life review, you will see everything from an eternal perspective. You may cry out, recognizing your failures and missed opportunities to do what is good and right over what is selfish and easy. Atheists won't allow themselves to consider this possibility, but one day, they will see. We all will.

Fortunately, God is merciful and loving. He doesn't want to control you. He wants you to learn and grow and hopes you'll choose goodness, kindness, sacrifice, faithfulness and forgiveness, just like His Son showed us how to do. He is the way, the truth and the life template we should follow. This temporal life is about learning lessons that our souls will take with us when we leave this plane, after our review. It's not about God punishing us. We punish ourselves when we eventually see how the choices we make affect others. We will see from their perspectives.

We also will be acknowledged for a job well done. We will be given greater opportunities, perhaps. Good works have eternal rewards much greater than the rewards here in this temporal life.

We have all fallen short. We've missed the mark. We've let others down. We've let God down. But what is great about this universe is that we can choose a different way tomorrow. We can seek forgiveness and repent. We can forge a new path, a better response. We can take responsibility for our mistakes and not repeat them. It is possible. We can fight evil individually, and collectively.

Every day is a new day full of opportunities to bring joy and peace and hope and an abundant life that will bring our people into modernity. That is the trajectory we can choose to take. It starts with each of us, deciding who we will be, because ultimately, free will is our birthright.