Looking for the Answer

I have been pondering about this verse in Quran (2:30) this morning

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(البقرۃ ۳۰)

Translation :

And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: “Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth(as inheritor of earth).” They said: “Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, – while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.” He (Allah) said: “I know that which you do not know.”

The verse contrasts mischief and bloodshed with praise, gratitude and sanctifying God (what angels say they do all the time). In the recent history we have seen humans at their worst, when it comes to mischief and bloodshed. Look at the news and you find countless examples of this ugly behavior.

Does that mean, the angels were right? Or does that mean these circumstances are forcing us to look deep inside, to look for that “secret” in us which only God knows but angles didn’t know?

I feel in my heart, these are the times when we will all have to look for the answer.