Have you ever wondered what makes people act and react as they do? There are many different motivations for our actions. The two that stand in sharpest contrast to me are fear and faith.
Fear based actions are seen in many walks of life. The deficit crisis was all based on fear it seems to me. That allowed it to become THE DEFICIT CRISIS!!! I saw another headline that showed fear of a declining civilization as a reason to deny helping anyone with contraception. The fear it conjured up distracted from the patently illogical reasoning of the article.
Religious institutions also show fear as primary in their actions. Judgment Day and Armageddon dominate sermons. Financial concerns are the true motivation for failures to promote justice, equity and peace in the world. Fear is often rationalized as other things, but a good observer can readily see the fear based words and deeds.
Fear makes reasoning difficult. It causes us to react as if we had only two options – fight or flight. That is basic animal instinct.
As beings with a developed sense of spirit we can be led by faith instead. Faith takes control of reasonable fears but keeps the focus on a vision of a better way. Faith does not give up the vision even under suffering. There is trust in the Divine, in the Universe, in the basic goodness of people, and in the ability of humanity to overcome catastrophes.
When faith is the motivation for the exercise of our free wills amazing things happen. Heroes are revealed, joy and compassion grow and the world becomes a better place. We conquer – not deny or eradicate – basic animal instincts.
It is easy for anyone to be lead by fear before awareness kicks in. When we become aware that fear in us is being created, fed or manipulated, we need to find our spiritual centers again. We need to dare to imagine, dare to live into the vision of our faith.
Fear not… fear not… fear not. But believe.