Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Day 27, January 31

Have you noticed that there are two types of people in the world? Those who show up and those who show off.

I'm reserved by nature and don't always join in groups, so I have plenty of time to people watch. In my observing, I see those who quietly serve in whatever way they can. They go about their days doing good, never drawing attention to themselves. They are the ones who make life easier for the rest of us. They clean the church early on Saturday mornings. They serve in the church nursery. They stay after a party or church supper to clean up.

Then there are the others. They, too, may do good, but it is with the intention of gaining notoriety and currying favor. This holds true over all venues, in the workplace, in church, in the PTA, in writers' groups, and others. They are the attention-grabbers. You probably won't find them cleaning the church ... or anything else.

This I know for sure: showing up will always trump showing off.

2 comments:

  1. Great commentary Mom. I guess I probably fall in both groups of people you mentioned. Although, in the last couple of weeks, I have cleaned the church on an early Saturday morning, have worked in the nursery, and have stayed late after a church dinner to help clean up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good for you, Alanna! It's good to get some gospel dirt under our fingernails. Marjorie Hinckley said something about wanting to show up in heaven in her station wagon with peanut butter stains on her from having made sandwiches for the neighborhood kids. I want to be like her.

    ReplyDelete