Confusion comes before order. Living in this world requires the ability to solve problems. Without problems, there cannot be any reason for surviving. Providing food for the family can be a problem that makes life interesting. This world was never designed to be utopian; therefore, without problems this world is meaningless.
The utopian condition describes paradise, which is an attribute, not applicable in this world. Paradise is unachievable, and undesirable, as carrying no reality in the pattern of the physical world. Of significance is that this world is different from heaven.
Some preachers attempt to convince their followers that everything in this world is satanic. While true, to some degree, those preachers fail to articulate the dynamics of heavenly life, as compared to earthly life. It is impossible to understand heavenly life without understanding earthly life.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:10-13 NIV).
The above Scripture requires wisdom, or else it can be misinterpreted as being oxymoronic. How can Jesus talk about good management of worldly wealth, while despising the idea of financial accumulation, at the same time? To understand, it is necessary to effectively analyze what Jesus taught.
Living in this world grants the greatest opportunity for triumphal victory. But the triumphal victory is that of the spirit, rather than of the flesh. It is a question of what one does; during his physical existence. This is like attending school to either produce good grades or zero grades.
The one having produced zero grades would have had the same opportunity like the one having produced good grades. Who does not like to produce sterling results? Good performance, in any activity, requires tenacity and hard work. It doesn’t matter what it is that needs to be confronted.
Farming requires hard work, to produce good harvests. Winning a trophy requires commitment and hard work, before enjoying winning, in the end. Enjoyable sporting activities carry some possibility of getting injured. Heroes risk being injured, when participating in dangerous sporting activities.
No one deserves to be regarded as a hero when having not triumphed against formidable opponents. Dynamos fans cannot celebrate winning against a boozers’ club. Those fans celebrate enthusiastically, only when a known formidable team would have been beaten.
That is what makes life interesting. Without challenges, life is worthless. Those realizing their purpose for living, are happier when facing challenges, rather than when not facing challenges. This confirms the reality that life without challenges is empty, and not worth living.
Being born in this world allows for overcoming life’s challenges. It is a question of what one does with the opportunity to live in this world. All problems of humanity are a result of failure to confront. The, otherwise, good-natured and innovative people left Zimbabwe in the year 1980.
The considered ‘good’ people are those having left the country for greener pastures. Life in the Diaspora appeals to the considered good people. But there is an aspect of failure to appreciate that the existent problems require solving, by the same considered ‘good’ people. Problem-solving requires formidable contenders to confront formidable problems. Those are the good people.
Those living in this world are participants in the game of living. They face challenges, like an opposite team in a game of football. The contender loses when avoiding an opponent. The crisis wins triumphantly, in the event of a potential problem-solver avoiding confront. The purpose of living is to solve problems. However, when a person avoids problems, he succumbs, so that the problem wins, while the person loses.
No one chooses to be born in a country where one resides. Similarly, no one chooses to be either male or female. No one chooses to be born into a rich or poor family. Everything happens by chance so we all find ourselves in circumstances that we never planned for.
So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NIV).
Life without challenges is not worth living. But each person is given a challenge that God knows to be appropriate, according to one’s circumstances. A bantam-weight boxer cannot be matched with a heavy-weight boxer. This is also different from assuming that it ought to be someone else, not emerging from that area, to confront what is observed.
This is what makes life interesting. One may assume the nature of the problem to be beyond human abilities. But, self-invalidation results from not knowing one’s identity. There is no need to assume that there ought to be a superman from somewhere, supposed to face what is observed as gigantic.
The supposition of a crisis being considered greater than normal could be mouthed from the surrounding voices. Questions like: “Who do you think you are?” serve to invalidate. Such characters presume to know better, yet are unable to address the problems at hand. This is similar to David’s challenge with his brother, Eliab when David had been inspired to confront Goliath.
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him (1 Samuel 17:28-31 NIV).
As an elder brother, Eliab considered himself to be wiser than David. The idea of invalidating another fellow human being exists everywhere. It is found in families. It can be found among one’s compatriots. It is generally what leads to all problems of humanity.
What Eliab did not know was that David was the key figure to free the Israelites from the Philistines. Eliab saw, in David, a person incapable to confront a formidable giant, like Goliath. Idolatry starts with the idea of invalidating oneself, before invalidating others.
Educated people can be assumed as capable to confront current challenges in Zimbabwe when the opposite is true. It takes those aware of being able, to rise to the task, whether educated or not. The more challenging the situation is; the more opportunities exist for the situation to be triumphantly addressed.
Each individual, as having been created in God’s image, is potentially greater than any other person’s imagination. The challenges faced in this world are, but a miniature of what awaits victors in God’s Kingdom. There is no reason to presume to do better in heaven, when unable to confront the physical challenges of this world.
The feeling of incapacitation, when facing problems in this world is a good reason not to even fantasize about being in heaven. How can one imagine handling greater challenges in the Spiritual realm, when unable to confront, the material problems of this world? Paul insinuates that such dreamers are building castles in the air, rather than dealing with strong meat.
“Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-4 NIV).
Jesus mentioned the possibility of failing to distinguish between God and money. When considering what is necessary, to acquire desirable things, some people consider money to be extremely important. But money is of the physical world; excluded from the spiritual universe. Spiritual beings do not need money to do things, as cannot be limited by anything.
Everything starts from the beginning. The origin of humanity is articulated clearly in Genesis 1:26-27. This was after God had created everything in the physical universe. Human beings were created differently from the other species. They were Godlike, implying the heavenly aspect. The common belief is formulated in the uncertainty that envelops humanity.
The sin of Adam caused the demarcation between God and humanity. Otherwise, there would be no difference between God and humanity. That demarcation was removed through the services of Jesus on the cross, for those desiring to reconnect with God.
For the informed people, there is no other opportunity as important as becoming aware of being God’s children. That information gives the person an opportunity to think like God. The challenges of this world would then be confronted and handled, in the manner that pleases God.
Those from developed nations, where everything was programmed by others to be workable, are disadvantaged. They are not presented with sufficient challenges to confront. Surviving without challenges is the worst thing a person can experience in this world. That condition cannot be envied by those having become aware of the value of humanity.
The apostle Paul measured his successes by the challenges he confronted. It takes one having become aware of the futility of surviving in the flesh without confronting the world’s challenges, to confront. The span of life in this world is short. Living in this world becomes a wasted time for those having lived without confronting problems, up to the point of their death.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:2-5 NIV).
To be mature and complete, as well as not lacking anything, problems become necessary, for God’s people. This does not mean creating, but solving problems, created by the ignorant ones. This means using the opportunity to serve others, at any given time, under the appropriate conditions.
Rather than becoming angry over what happens in our beautiful country, there is a need to celebrate. The conditions of this country require service, which is senior, over everything else, for humanity. Good people look for opportunities to serve, more than anything else. They always look for opportunities to make a difference.
Rather than denigrate the government, good people would avail themselves, to make a difference. There is no reason to feel unhappy, in this world, regardless of whatever goes on. Good people smile when things go well, but they still smile, even when things go wrong. This is why the apostle Paul insinuated that everything should be viewed as a blessing.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30 NIV).
The challenges of this world are a mere groundwork for the future glorious service that God’s people will experience. Small victories experienced are necessary to keep our hopes alive. Rather than feel uncomfortable about problems, manifesting in this country, it is time to make a difference.
Of course, our country is currently a laughing stock, to other nations. But being ridiculed provides opportunities for the appropriate blessing that should be celebrated. A nation is in serious trouble when everything goes well.
There is hope in a country in confusion, rather than where there is order. When confusion comes, the order would be on the horizon. But when order prevails, confusion may equally be on the horizon.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99
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