Pure Motives vs. Consequential Fear
Are humans motivated by self-interest or fear? The idea of perfection and being put together is captivating. The Puritans believed humans sought rewards to ease the apprehension of future consequences. However, like the humanists, people desire altruism and seek to make the world a better place, yet mainly to escape the past by renewing the present. Today people hold selfish ambitions, doing good to perfect their identity and benefit themselves with the rewarding feeling of either accomplishment or involvement.
People long to fit in and be a part of something incredible, a domino effect. However, at the same time, humans fear the outcome and refuse stepping out of their comfort-zone. When a series of dominos are placed together, one piece must fall to hit the next, then another to the next, and another to the next--resulting in an occurring domino effect. Additionally, to linger this reaction, each domino piece must be close enough to come in contact with another. Much like the Puritans and Jonah in the Old Testament, people are quick to run away and fear what God asks of them, which deflects the concept of a domino effect and making a difference. Many people forget that “God doesn’t give…a spirit of fear” (ESV Bible, 2 Timothy 1:7) so they barely miss opportunities due to…show more content… Before they enter her home, she is pre-labeled as “the prostitute” (ESV Bible, Joshua 2:1). Unfortunately, today’s culture likes labels. Society puts a label on all people--good or bad, and they seem unavoidable. Once people adopt those labels as their identity, they are limited. This biblical allusion demonstrates how people often do good to try and escape from a certain label and receive a new identity. Because humans, like Rahab, are labeled, and most people allow those labels to identify them. So it seems much easier to just do good and get more involved in new things to adopt a better, fixed
