There is a debate that many people still argue about today, which I detest. It is the debate between the theory of inherent goodness and the theory of inherent evil. The reason I dislike it is that many people fail to understand the fundamental principles and core of these theories.

If we delve deeper into these two ideas, the philosopher Mencius, or Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the West, who argued for the inherent goodness of human nature, claimed that human nature is good, but it is the environment or culture that corrupts people. Conversely, the philosophers Xunzi and Thomas Hobbes, who argued for the inherent evil of human nature, proposed that human instinct is evil, but it is changed to be good through social contracts or discipline.

There is a discernible pattern in these two theories. The core principle of both is whether the factor of "environment" defines a person. I believe both are correct. By looking at the environment in which a person grew up, we can often predict their current situation and nearly everything about them. However, we also know that, as the saying "a dragon can rise from a small stream" suggests, there are people who overcome the circumstances they were born into and are not bound by them.

God has given us humans the power of choice. If you look at Galatians 6:7, it says, "A man reaps what he sows." Every person has the choice of what to plant and where to plant it. Likewise, you have the choice of whom you will associate with, how you will live, and how you will change your environment. At this point, I suspect many people will voice complaints, so there is something you need to know: absolutely no excuse is valid before God. I would like to introduce one of my favorite books of the Bible, the Book of Job.

Job is described as a righteous, wealthy, and God-fearing man. However, a being called Satan challenges God to test Job's faith. God allows this, and Job suddenly loses all his property, his children, and even his health in a series of disasters. Although he initially continues to praise God, Job later experiences an internal conflict regarding God. At times, he is convinced that God is wise and just, while at other times, he goes so far as to accuse God of being violent, unfair, and corrupt. Job's friends insisted that he was being punished for some sin he had committed, but Job maintained and defended his innocence. In the end, Job calls on God to appear and explain Himself. God gives Job a virtual tour of the cosmos and asks him if he could possibly manage or comprehend this vast, complex, and detailed world for even a single day. Through this, Job kneels in humility and learns God's lesson. In the end, God restores to Job double what he had lost.

The key takeaway here is that we humans have a limited mind, perspective, and viewpoint compared to God's limitless one, making it impossible for us to fully understand Him. For example, many people view desire as evil, but from God's perspective, He sees it as a deficiency you possess—that is, a stage where you are meant to grow.

God wants you to achieve the best possible outcome. The way we can be thankful for this and bestow God's grace is by creating the world that God desires, God's world. Creating God's world means following the direction God has taught us: transforming chaos into order, continuously expanding that order, and updating it to prevent it from becoming oppressive, all while making a positive impact. I imagine many of you may have complaints about this. Everyone, do not underestimate your individual power and influence. You possess more strength and influence than you think—a power like the butterfly effect or a domino chain. Do not ignore this power. I pray that you will be grateful to God who gave you this strength and influence, and that you will grow in the direction He has taught.