Test? What test?

My personal belief is that life is, in part, a test. I suppose many Christians believe this, but I think, perhaps, we are unclear what exactly the test is. One part of the test is, no doubt, to see if we will follow Jesus Christ at all hazards. When Job had his struggles, his wife said, "Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die." But Job replied, "Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:9-10) Peter posed a similar question, saying, "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." The Lord definitely asks the question, "Will you choose righteousness?"

Still, I think there is more to this test than just taking it on the chin valiantly. If God wants us to choose righteousness, why? Why not just compel us to do as He bids? Why must it be a choice? If God, wants us to choose righteousness, then does doing so include allowing others to choose, like God does? If it does, then the test questions include, "Will you chose righteousness?" and "Will you let others choose righteousness?"

"But," we may cry, "we would never intentionally stand in the way of righteousness!" That is not the question, but rather "Will you stand in the way of choice?" To allow someone to choose good is only the flip side of allowing them to choose evil, and in our endeavors to bring about righteousness we are likely to forget the crucial element of choice.

So what is the test? Perhaps it has three questions:
1. Will you choose righteousness?
2. Will you allow others to choose righteousness?
3. Will you allow others to choose wickedness?

Never fear, I am not suggesting that we should not fight against the evils in the world. I still believe, for example, that criminals should be punished, Yet, taken to the extreme, punishment, in and of itself, becomes criminal. Now we start posing our own questions. When do righteous desires begin to work against good? How do we use the power within us to bring about good without trampling God's other children? If our suffering brings us to ask such questions, I believe it is doing part of what God allows suffering for.