Some people are servants to good and some are slaves to evil.
Servants of the good things in life fight for what is right; while slaves to the bad things may appear to fight for the good, but it is for bad motives.
Servants of the good take tender care of their children; slaves of evil may appear to care, but only decorate, display, and discourage their children for selfish reasons, if they don’t attack them outright or neglect them.
Servants of goodness are gentle in their dealings with all people; slaves of the wrong may make a show of good mannerisms, but have harsh thoughts they reveal later. This often reveals as gossip.
It may seem as if the servants of the good are perfect and faultless, but really, although their flaws may not be visible, they know them well, and beat them down as much as they can, always striving for a better way, next time. Slaves of evil do not realize they are thoroughly bad, think they are doing folks a favor by their presence, maybe even consciously hide their badness, thinking it is not bad but just unwelcome.
In fact, one big difference between good and bad is where the battleground is in each life.
Some battle self, try actually to be good; others battle appearances, trying to look good.
And when we grow really, really old, whatever is on the inside begins leaking out. When the days come, when weakness no longer has strength to hide what is inside, in the nursing homes, all will be revealed.
Be good . . .
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*Image by venturout via Flickr
Home's Cool! 
hmmm….”whatever is on the inside begins leaking out”. Wow, you got me there. Very sobering, my friend. In the best of ways.
Thanks for this great comment, Debby. Sobering . . . yes, the older I get, the less time I have to make sure what leaks out is good and pleasant, the more sobering it becomes for me.
Dear Katherine. Even though i know you didn’t write this for me, it hit home so wonderfully well. God Bless. You are a teacher of “good”. I always learn a lot from you. The things you tell me (and others) aren’t “new” things: They are things that swim around in my mind … but i can’t always put my finger on what’s buggin’ me (especially when faced with difficult people). It’s not our job to make nasty people nice, and it’s not our job to figure them out. As you’ve said to me before: Try to spread good, forgive, keep your eyes on yourself! Don’t worry about someone else’s baggage. xoxo melis
Dear Melissa,
Thanks so much for this sweetly candid comment. I did write the post for you because I wrote it for all people, of which you are one. Yea!
I am so glad it blessed you, Dear. I love when someone nails my jello to a wall for me, so I know how you feel, here.
Have fun trying to apply it, though!!! 😉 I keep trying . . . sighs . . .
My sister works at a nursing home, and you are so correct! I think that senility causes us to revert back to our infant selves. We won’t be able to think about what looks good and what doesn’t; we won’t be able to control ourselves; we will just do what comes most naturally. Those who are truly sweet and loving will continue to act that way, but some will reveal themselves to be cranky, hateful, or just plain selfish. Best to work on our character now, while we can still think things through.
Thanks for stopping by, Amy, and for this comment! 🙂
Yes, I do think we revert, but perhaps infancy is a little far back for most–probably we revert to the terrible two’s!!! 😐 Just kidding.
Actually, I think we accumulate lots of adult attitudes, entrenched, and then we lose our adult inhibitions. What remains are the attitudes, for better or for worse. Sighs.
My dear sister in Christ….you amaze, you inspire, you are so blessedly real. Thank you for the gift that is you. I am giving you the All-Around Wonderful Blog Award. The details, badge, etc are at this link. Love you—and you really are All-Around Wonderful. {yep you, you wonderful vessel of the Lord}. http://believeanyway.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/an-award-from-an-all-around-wonderful-blogger/
Oh, Kate, I am so amazed and awed and humbled. You know my self-doubts and, bless you! you know the Lord of Courage, too. I think you are a candle on the same cake with me, lending me the appearance of more light than I really have.
Thanks. K
God’s presence fills you and is spread to others. Connie’s HUG Award is hereby presented to you <3. Details here: http://ahopefortoday.com/2012/01/14/hope-unites-globally-hug-award-guidelines/
Oh, ME!
This has been such a full day! Thanks for this award, too, Kate! And blessings to you from me. 😉