This world needs game changers. But the game changers are not always welcome, as long as the affected people are comfortable with the status quo. While appearing as desirable to humanity, it is necessary to give comfort a suspicious tag. Most proud people are associated with comfort.
One common attribute with game changers is that they enjoy operating under worst scenarios. This is where they leave a mark of being game changers. They are the opposite of proud people, who enjoy operating under best scenarios.
While game changers strive to change worst things for the better, it seems proud people strive to change best things for the worse. However, the general behaviour of humanity is that it is the proud people who are given the lime-light, instead of the game changers.
Many people suppose that change is desirable to everyone. When considering the existent evils in the entire world, it is normal to assume that everyone desires to see change in people’s behaviours. The challenge is on how and where to start the process of change.
It seems nothing can beat the fact that for desirable effects, change should be considered as more than necessary, for positive effects. But what is true is that it can only be those affected negatively, who see the necessity for change.
Supposing I am an executive, who holds an influential position in an organization? Why would I embrace anything that seeks to disturb the status quo, whose potential is to gives me discomfort? This is common sense.
In life there are things that give us comfort, yet, unfortunately, this is where the symptoms of pride are commonly found to be manifest. A careful analysis of what gives people comfort is what leads them to pride.
Those considered as normal human beings desire to be associated with goodness, associated with comfort that also produces pride. There is challenge in that it is easier to see pride in other people, but unable to detect it in our own selves.
The fact that all human beings desire comfort, reveals that all human beings can be susceptible to being proud. Resisting being associated with the proud people can be another sign showing how proud one is.
Associating with proud people who give you an inferiority label, can be very uncomfortable. But that feeling of discomfort could be the only sign revealing how potentially proud you are, yourself.
For self-testing one’s level of pride, the best way is to check how comfortable one is, when associating with those considered to be of higher class than one. If finding yourself uncomfortable, you are proud.
More often than not, such people give those considered to be of higher class than them, a label of being proud, instead of themselves. They feel threatened and would rather be associated with those considered to be of their own class.
Alternatively, some people engage in intensive studies, considering that as necessary to match the envied ones. But all that serves to reveal how proud the same individual would be. See [Christianity serves to invalidate God’s Kingdom].
If able to take insults from those poking fun out of you, designed to give you a low self-esteem, you would not be proud. However, when considering such treatment as dehumanizing, chances are that you would have a lot of work, in dealing with the problem of pride in yourself.
When taking no offence, even genuinely displaying willingness to highly regard those despising you, according to their expectations, you could be a potential game changer. This kind of self-test assumes that pride exists, when easily taking offence, on situations where people look down upon you.
Being associated with proud people may not be a choice. Circumstances may thrust you into such deplorable conditions. But as long as able to experience, without difficulty—dealing with those considered as proud—you may be free from the problem of pride.
However, another indicator of pride is envying proud people, instead of truly remaining as yourself. Game changers influence other people. They do not get influenced by other people, when succumbing to what is unacceptable.
This is where most African people have failed most. On attainment of independence, they sought to imitate their former white oppressors. Yet at the same time pretending to hate those white people for having been oppressive?
You cannot easily help such people to come out of such a syndrome. They regard that abnormal behaviour as customary. But game changers can eventually bring them back to their normal senses. This is where game changers need to remain focused.
You are susceptible to being proud if only keeping company with those that identify with your class. Noticeably, it is considered natural to get along with those that one comfortably identifies with. But, in reality, nothing is more abnormal than that.
While associating with the like-minded, brings comfort and is considered natural, this is where problems begin. A person can deny being proud, but it is pride that makes a person desire to associate with the like-minded ones.
A person surviving on food hand-outs and also having no fixed aboard may be considered as not associated with pride. But as soon as the same person acquires wealth, he/she changes behaviour and the true colours begin to surface.
The phenomenon of hording, acquiring more properties for future needs is another way of hedging against relapsing to the previous conditions of poverty. But the instigator of such behaviour is pride. It is only proud people who seek to be associated with good comfort.
The most important datum lies in that there is not a single human being ever born to be proud. This is why Jesus advised His disciples to become like little children (Matthew 18:2-4). Pride is acquired according to the parental background and the upbringing of the person concerned.
The children of a millionaire have no problem associating with the children of a pauper. Yet a millionaire and a pauper find themselves having nothing in common. The existing culture of humanity is seeking comfortable lifestyle, but without investing anything to attain it.
A person is graded according to the comfortable lifestyle, with which he/she is associated. If coming from a lowly considered environment a person is given an inferiority status. Such grading has got nothing to do with the character of a person being graded.
If coming from a more comfortable environment, the person is considered superior. But, in reality, there is nothing like an inferior or superior human being. All humans hold Godly qualities, so long as they were created in God’s image.
James agrees: “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1-4) (ESV).
Jesus contended with proud people, more than the ordinary habitual sinners ought to have given him problems. The proud people felt comfortable being viewed as better than those considered as sinners. These are the people who considered Jesus as having come to disturb their comfort.
Sinful humanity feels comfortable being viewed as better than the person next door. Such a person feels threatened, when the lowly person becomes graded as to be on the same level, or higher than the one all along considered superior.
Common sense ought to cause people to accept the upgrading of those previously regarded as inferior. But, as is ordinarily known, proud people feel threatened, being equated with those, previously considered inferior.
Pride is the only sin of humanity, which Jesus came to address (John 1:29). Other sins spring from the sin of pride, which is common with all humanity. Jesus stated that the only way to address pride, was by adopting the behaviour of young Children.
This advice is not suggesting being childish. But having an attitude that does not worry about how other people view you, except your true character. Young children project what they really would be, not necessarily what others assume.
All human beings are capable of solving problems. But their major hindrance is pride. Each individual is capable of accomplishing what God created him/her to be. It is pride, manifesting in comfort that hinders the person.
Proud people have created an environment where people are graded according to class, thereby suppressing the weak ones against achieving their potential. This disregards the fact that the one who created them in his own image, had best intention for the despised ones, as well.
Game changers are very few in numbers, because most people succumb to the culture of the proud people. Everyone wants comfort, but without necessarily contributing anything towards that comfort.
This is why in Africa, on attainment of independence, most black people assumed that the comfort, seemingly, displayed by their white oppressors was the thing to aim for. The sorry state that transpires in Zimbabwe can be one typical example of the effects of desiring comfort. See [The greatest civilization emerging in Southern Africa]
We are all created to be game changers in our own rights. But due to falsified cultural trends by the proud people, most people die without ever reaching their potential. It is wrong to assume that Africa is a cursed continent.
Admittedly, what prevails appears as unchangeable overnight, due to the existing culture and traditional trends pointing towards pride. But for those inspired to have purposeful life on this planet, two questions demand answering: Who am I? And why was I born?
These two questions should help the person to eventually link up with his/her own creator. God did not create substandard human beings. There is not even a single person, ever created without a purpose. Pride has always been what lets people down.
There is no need to point a finger at anyone, viewed as proud. That finger should only be pointing at yourself—the potential game changer. As human beings, we are all susceptible of being proud.
The starting point is to forget about those ostentatious title-holders that most proud people are identified with. You may or may not be educated, according to the standards of this world. All that is immaterial.
The one who created you in His own image knows who you are. In your specialty, you are the greatest person who ever lived. Do not compare yourself with anyone. But simply aim to achieve the quality of an individual you were created to be. See [The greatest person the world has ever known].
Game changers are not intimidated by title-holders. They seek to perform the tasks at hand. As humanity, we are all caught up in miry confusion. Which we can only overcome by experiencing comfort where there is discomfort.
It is only proud people who seek comfortable environments. Game changers seek uncomfortable environments to make a difference. Young students aim at achieving best education, so that they can hold titles and be accorded due respect. But my prayer is that those students should aim at best education, so that they become game changers.
Choosing between the two makes a lot of difference. Title-holding makes one feel comfortable, having achieved certification, which, naturally, is associated with pride. However, choosing to become a game changer, even without certification is what counts. See [What’s in a title, if not to deceive?].
This world needs game changers, not proud people—who are the only enemies of change. This is what Jesus came to address. Supposedly, it is now time to look beyond what is commonly practiced, even in Christian churches. The aim should always be seeking to be game changers and make a difference in one’s own environment. See [Christianity is full time commitment for the baptized]
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from 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 reliefs to those having witnessed 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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