I've always been aware how kind strangers can be - helping out others for no reward at all; just doing the right thing. Since our accident, I have been even more aware of that than ever.
Only yesterday, my hubbie and I were in a cafe for lunch. He was trying to help with my jumper - not easy with 2 usable left hands between us - and the lady at the table behind us helped, then was really, genuinely, concerned to hear of or accident. Later on in the cafe, I had decided to get a scone (the fastest cake in the world - s'cone - it's gone - think about it. Sorry bad joke, but one of my favourites! Anyway, I digress, bad to my story.). A lady at another table offered to spread it for me.
Those are just the latest examples of total strangers helping us out. There was no reward for them doing so, except our thanks. Interestingly, last week I was reading The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. The bottom line argument in Dawkins book is altruistic behaviour only occurs in order that genes in an organism will survive. The closer the genetic relationship, the more likely an organism will make a sacrifice for another one of its kind.
In many respects, and given I have a science background, I could understand where Dawkins was coming from. That still doesn't explain certain human behaviour - why did those ladies help my hubbie and I? Dawkins would probably argue as part of a community, they were genetically programmed to help other members of the community. The community shares similar genetic traits (white east coast Scots!). To me, true altruistic behaviour is what disseminates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom. That, I believe, is one of the many gifts we have from God - a unique gift, as we are made in His image.
Only then can we explain events like Red Nose Day. People raise million of pounds to help others all over the UK and the world. People they will never meet or know. People of other communities with a different genetic inheritance. In terms of the Selfish Gene argument, what benefit to a teenager from Edinburgh's genetic inheritance is there ensuring a forty year old in South Africa gets clean water and anti-viral drugs for their HIV? Very, very little as far as I see.
Helping others for no reward is one of the greatest gift's God has given us. That is His Love.
Please remember we have one thing above other animals when it comes to the self gene. We are aware of it. So as thinking beings evolution and genes can explain where we have come from. However we can choose where we go to. However if we ignore the influence that genetics have on our actions how can we truely break free of them? Make your genetic inheritance work for you, not the other way around.
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