Not_Now.Soon
Member
It's been a bit of an observation for a while now that our motivations connect themselves to other motivations, and away from seperate groups of other motivations. Good deeds and good situtions seem to create more of their own kind in the motivations of those around and those doing them, while bad situtions and bad deeds seem to create more of their own kind in those they are around and those who are doing them.
For example, one lie seems to be the first stepping stone towards a pack of lies, instead of an occasional occurance because a lie needs support unless it's found out for what it is. Anger, frustration, and even sadness due to something that's happened to you seems to create a vacuum of negitive energy that needs to be filled and expressed before a person feels better again. A person angry at what the higher up are putting pressure on them about might express that anger towards those they are around, even if it isn't directed at the people causing it, and that anger spreads in the other people to a (hopefully) lesser degree. Lust and greed once it's taped into seem to only create more room for more lust or for more greed. And anything that is done enough by one person to make it a habit, feeds itself to keep the habit alive and continuing on. Any groups of people doing one thing enough in their community creates a culture for that action to thrive in.
On the other spectrum is the good things people do, and the good situtions we are in. They also attract more of the same kind as themselves from what I can tell. Kindness eases the burdens of others and spreads the motivations to be kind as well. A smile and a friendly wave once offered seem to help both the person giving it as well as the one receiving it. And I've heard of occasional acts of giving like at a coffee shop buying your drink and the drink behind you has had a chain effect on the person behind in the line that they do the same for several customers in a row.
In my opinion good attracts more good, and evil attracts more evil. But where it gets intreasting is not just creating more of the same, but that when good and evil come into contact with one another, they seem to cancel eachother's effect. Someone doing good and receiving a bitter or angry response stops their motivation to keep doing it. They have to be stronger then that motivation to keep going on if that good action is important to them. Same with a person angry at the world lessens when someone in traffic shows kindness towards them by being kind and courteous, letting the person into a lane ahead of them. Or a smile, and a hello softens a person's anger diminishes it to a small degree. Cancles it out in a way.
While I doubt this is a profound observation to anyone, and is easily seen, what I want to address is our actions as we are directed to do in the bible. Do good to one another. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Help those in need. Turn the other cheek and bless those persecuting you. Love your enemy. If we are directed to do these as an extension of our faith and our love for God, then I can only think of one thing that God wants us to do. Be the light of the world, be the salt of the world. Be the cure for it. Conquer evil by doing good.
For example, one lie seems to be the first stepping stone towards a pack of lies, instead of an occasional occurance because a lie needs support unless it's found out for what it is. Anger, frustration, and even sadness due to something that's happened to you seems to create a vacuum of negitive energy that needs to be filled and expressed before a person feels better again. A person angry at what the higher up are putting pressure on them about might express that anger towards those they are around, even if it isn't directed at the people causing it, and that anger spreads in the other people to a (hopefully) lesser degree. Lust and greed once it's taped into seem to only create more room for more lust or for more greed. And anything that is done enough by one person to make it a habit, feeds itself to keep the habit alive and continuing on. Any groups of people doing one thing enough in their community creates a culture for that action to thrive in.
On the other spectrum is the good things people do, and the good situtions we are in. They also attract more of the same kind as themselves from what I can tell. Kindness eases the burdens of others and spreads the motivations to be kind as well. A smile and a friendly wave once offered seem to help both the person giving it as well as the one receiving it. And I've heard of occasional acts of giving like at a coffee shop buying your drink and the drink behind you has had a chain effect on the person behind in the line that they do the same for several customers in a row.
In my opinion good attracts more good, and evil attracts more evil. But where it gets intreasting is not just creating more of the same, but that when good and evil come into contact with one another, they seem to cancel eachother's effect. Someone doing good and receiving a bitter or angry response stops their motivation to keep doing it. They have to be stronger then that motivation to keep going on if that good action is important to them. Same with a person angry at the world lessens when someone in traffic shows kindness towards them by being kind and courteous, letting the person into a lane ahead of them. Or a smile, and a hello softens a person's anger diminishes it to a small degree. Cancles it out in a way.
While I doubt this is a profound observation to anyone, and is easily seen, what I want to address is our actions as we are directed to do in the bible. Do good to one another. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Help those in need. Turn the other cheek and bless those persecuting you. Love your enemy. If we are directed to do these as an extension of our faith and our love for God, then I can only think of one thing that God wants us to do. Be the light of the world, be the salt of the world. Be the cure for it. Conquer evil by doing good.
