One shall stand…one shall fall

It’s really a pretty awesome statement if you think about it. “One shall stand…one shall fall.” Of course, it probably works better with 50 foot tall combat ready robots stating it right before beating the hell out of each other. :-)

Really though, it could be a statement that anyone could, and maybe should, make about their own life.

What do I mean? Think of it this way. Humans were created with really two distinct “sides”. We all have that basic capacity for good (morals, ethics, character, honesty, etc) and a basic capacity for evil (selfishness, meanness, antipathy, etc). Over the course of our lives we see a kind of tug-a-war between these two opposite poles. Sometimes we are closer to one than the other and then the dynamic changes.

Notice something about the quote from above. It says one shall fall. Notice that it doesn’t say that one is destroyed. There is a HUGE difference. If we apply our good vs. evil concept, then the opposite is never completely destroyed or vanquished forever. It is thrown down, losses its power, and basically beaten to a pulp, but it’s NOT destroyed.

So, let me ask you a basic Philosophy question…Does “good” exist without “evil”? Can you have one completely and not the other?

See…I don’t think so. If you lived in a perfect world where there was no “evil” (Violence, anger, hate, greed, avarice, etc) and everything that is considered “good” was the only thing available and in abundance, how you REALLY know that it was all “good”?

I believe that “evil” and “good” provide structure in our world. They provide a balance and a gauge for measurement. “Good” can only be seen and recognized when it is thrown into contrast with “evil”.

So what does this all have to do with the dichotomy of humans?

One shall stand…one shall fall. Everyone lives life in a constant struggle. The basic struggle between “good” and “evil”. Between the two halves that guide our thoughts and actions.

For some, it’s sometimes a rather one sided fight. Usually you see it in those people that are soaked in “evil” and there is very little if any “good” inside. There are those, however, that see overwhelming “good” shining through and they make it look easy.

But for most of us…it’s not easy, is it?

Nope. In fact…sometimes I’d say it’s downright hard. We aren’t prepared for this fight. We don’t know the rules. Hell…most of us can’t even really define “good” and “evil” in a concrete manner. It’s all fuzzy for us. Based on feelings and emotions and, at times, it’s different in each situation.

Where does that leave us? We can’t define either side…we’re not ready for the fight…we’re not even really equipped for battle. Sounds like we’re the puny civilian standing in front of the charging tank. Yup…we’re gonna get smushed.

But wait…this is MY life and MY mind and MY heart! I’m not gonna be smushed by anybody! You do have a choice in all this, even if most of us don’t take it or even know it exists.

The choice is really simple. Are you going to stand up for that core that’s inside you? Will you be what your soul believes you can be?

Sounds like an easy choice, don’t it? :-) If it was, the world wouldn’t be littered with the walking dead. I believe that almost all people will answer yes to those questions. However, they continue existing the same old way they always have. They don’t do the WORK that it will take to win the battle. Oh, they are great at spending their time making a LONG list of excuses.

But the hard self-searching that is needed to discover and root out the little demons and devils, is simply too hard, too difficult, too time consuming, to be done right now. “I’ll do it later.”

Sound familiar?

The good news is that it’s really never too late to start actively fighting in this battle and trying to be better. “Better late than never.” As my Dad used to say. So get off your ass and get in the game!

One shall stand…one shall fall. Do you know which it’ll be?