While we battle life’s pain and all the sufferings that come with it, we must ensure that we do not become the devil while fighting the devil. Life in itself is war, a war with different battles at different stages. At one point, you are battling for academic excellence; the next, you are battling for growth in your professional or business career, while hoping to win in that, you are fighting ill-health, marriage, and all whatnot. We win some and lose some, but life must go on regardless. While life in itself is pain, man’s greed and irresponsibility exacerbate life’s suffering. To be born into this show called life, you are guaranteed pain, but to be born a black man in a highly racist environment makes things worse. To be a woman comes with natural and biological pain but to be a woman in a highly sexist environment and misogynist environment. We can’t sit and watch our world degenerate because of racism, sexism, police brutality, terrorism, and all the evil man offers. We have to fight them actively or passively.

Man has the propensity for evil; We also, in the same measure, have the proclivity to do good deeds to eradicate evil pain sufferings, whatever you may call it.

In other to eradicate, we must fight these devils ( ideologies, institutions). Still, most importantly, we must define them and be sure that they are devils wanting to destroy our societies, not just political differences or cultural travesty. We must ensure that our definition of good and evil is rooted in absolute value and thought, not political or cultural relativism. We must define “good” absolutely for us to project and protect it. We must have an unequivocal definition of evil to fight it off. We must know the enemy we are fighting; only then can we win; evil defeated.

While defining good and evil is essential, and understanding the differences between happiness and pain is pivotal, we must protect ourselves from becoming the evil we are fighting. We must ensure that our definition and meaning of “good” remains good, That we treat Good as a lion willing and able to overcome the hyenas of evil. We must ensure that while defending women’s rights in society, we do not slip into misandry. Protecting women’s rights is in no way the same as hatred for men. Alleviating poverty or helping the lower class in society is not the same as lacerating the rich or middle class. We must not become racist in the name of supporting the Black lives matter movement. We must not become thieves to feed the poor. In short, stealing from the thief makes one a thief. Hating white people in defense of black people or for the fight against racism makes you a racist. Alienating men in other to solve gender equality issues makes you a sexist. Killing police officers in other to solve police brutality makes you a murder. Evil cant overcome evil, only good can. You cant drive the darkness away by causing more darkness; only light can.

Where there is hate, be love. Where there is war, strive for peace; true peace, not submission. Where there is sickness, be the balm. Where there is darkness, be the light. We must not mistake love as being weak or goodness as having no strength. If you think love is weak, then try taking a chick from the mother hen.

We will also encounter monsters in this journey called life, people full of malevolence and greed, hoping to express such evil in our lives. We must fight the monster without becoming the monster.

Are you becoming selfish because you are a victim of someone’s greed or selfish behavior? Are you becoming wicked and prideful because you hope to give the proud “a taste of their medicine”? Are you becoming corrupt and toxic because you wish to avenge your cheating partner? Why not leave such a relationship. If fighting a monster makes you a monster, you better leave the battle. “Leave the battle”, what does that mean? So should we give up on good and let evil reign? Well, it is better to stop advocating against racism or sexism if that will make you one.