When I was a child, boys would gather in the yard to play war games. There was always a heated debate about who would be "our side" and who would play the invaders. That was how the teams were divided: the good guys were us, and the bad guys were the others. At that time, veterans of the Great Patriotic War were still alive, and we listened to their stories. Those memories left an impression on us, shaping our childhood games.

Why am I bringing this up? Because everyone wanted to be on the good side, to be one of "our own." No one wanted to play the bad guys. Boys imagined themselves as brave knights, while girls dreamed of being kind fairies, princesses, and other positive characters from fairy tales.

The desire to be good is a fundamental part of human nature. Have you noticed that in any argument or conflict, we instinctively try to present ourselves as the good ones? We claim that we are right, that we are acting correctly—according to our version of events. Of course, our opponent has their own version, and from their perspective, they are the good ones.

People often say, "Everyone has their own truth." But the truth—real truth—is singular. Remember Pontius Pilate's question at Jesus' trial: "What is truth?" It seems that this seasoned ruler had heard so many different versions of the truth that he couldn't recognize the Truth standing before him in the flesh—Christ.

When I embraced faith and became a churchgoer, a deep sense of peace settled in my soul. There are countless philosophical movements and modern teachings out there. I explored many of them, always wanting to ask, "Which one is the real deal?"

And there it was, on the shelves of every church bookstore—thousands of books by the Holy Fathers, all speaking of the same thing.

Christianity provides a single, objective scale of good and evil, a moral compass that exists outside of us. It allows us to measure ourselves against this axis.

It's like emerging from the churning waves that toss you against the rocks, finally finding solid ground, and seeing the horizon.

How important this is for me personally! Without this Christian system of coordinates, everything becomes confusing and terrifying. This system offers clear directions and gives those who accept it a common language and shared values. It also offers the opportunity to correct ourselves, to strive toward true goodness—not just the relative notion of being "good," but to become what God intended us to be.

To strive for holiness. Yes, these aren't just lofty words. This is the peak every Christian should aim for. In spiritual life, standing still is not an option—you either move forward or begin to slide back.

As Saint Augustine said, "You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."

I think this is exactly what we feel as children when we choose our roles in games. The key is to recognize, in time, what is truly good and what is evil, where our subjective truth ends, and where the singular Truth begins—the Truth that shows us the right path and lights our way.

Original article: radiovera.ru/my-horoshie-natalija-langammer.html