Part of Jesus’ famous lecture, covered in Matthew 5, 6 and 7, includes not worrying about anything in this world. Ignoring this, one cannot claim to be a Christian; although the suggestion appears not in sync with common sense, to ordinary people. To dedicated Christians, the statement applies to common sense, more than anything. Common sense requires putting things of priority ahead of everything else.
Common sense applies in the delineation of professionalism as opposed to dilettantism. Professionalism and dilettantism are the two opposites, understood as diametrically different. A professional farmer does not waste time doing other things, except farming. A professional footballer cannot commit himself to farming when committed to playing football. The same applies to any field requiring professional engagement and competence.
It can only be a dilettante who finds time to play football when committed to professional farming, at the same time. Conversely, professional footballers cannot find time to dabble in agriculture, when professionally engaged in professional football. This justifies common sense, rather than requiring elaborate illustration. What Jesus said cannot necessarily be anything assumed to be extraordinarily out of this world.
When casting our lenses on Zimbabwe alone, we see corrupt people being celebrated, rather than frowned at. This is a nation where professional physicians have since left the country in droves for greener pastures because the living conditions are untenable. Poor people are helplessly condemned to die in misery, as medical care and medicine are inaccessible.
Some people lose sleep when observing such unpleasant conditions. Even when watching young children playing in the streets, sane people get worried, wondering what the future holds for those children. The helplessness that envelops the Zimbabwean people certainly takes away the idea of living in comfort.
For the sane people, it is impossible to feel comfortable where the majority of Zimbabweans sleep without food. Jesus’ mission was to redeem humanity from an apathetic self-destructive state of affairs. The deplorable conditions are unacceptable, and yet average humans cannot perceive wrongness, wishing such conditions continue, unabated.
Currently, the dominant civilizations are amassing colossal armaments of the most deplorable magnitude, since the beginning of the world. Millions of people, while appearing endangered, obliviously cheer on, such catastrophic trajectories of evil. The threat to humanity is not by natural diseases but by man-made calamities. In social media, one observes young people cheering either the Russian war machinery or Western nations for their support of Ukraine.
The belligerents are celebrated, similarly to how football clubs are celebrated. When truth is told, no other endeavour can be more important than aiming at ending such insanity. How then can Jesus’ sensational statement be considered extraordinarily, exceptional? What other mission should be regarded as more urgent than that of Jesus?
Can a combatant in a brutal skirmish be concerned about garden variety matters of survival other than concerned about the looming obliteration? Those having been involved in the intensity of military combat understand the indigents of threatened survival. We have to confront the idea of Jesus advising His disciples not to be committed to anything except God’s Kingdom.
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you?
O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own” (Matthew 6:26-34 NIV).
Jesus was giving a lecture to the Earth’s most important group at the establishment of a new civilization, comprising twelve disciples. This was a globe-changing organization that would invoke new life to a dying civilization. Those disciples were advised not to worry about anything else, except God’s Kingdom, which restores sanity. There is nothing unreasonable about the advice given to those disciples.
They had already left their families and businesses to follow Christ. The continued pursuit of their businesses would have divided their focus, making it impossible to achieve acceptable results. They were given assurance that they would not starve while committed to Christ. The set standard was on a demonstrative assignment, showing how the spreading of the gospel was to be conducted. If Jesus’ standard is relevant, that methodology cannot be changed:
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:8-16 NIV)
Nothing reveals how long it would take for the disciples to engage in that expedition. But certainly, the mission could not have been for just a few days. None of them starved, along the way, as having not carried financial provisions. Nothing shows that their assignment was difficult, nor does it show them as experiencing challenges along the way.
Instead, they came back rejoicing, reporting unexpected successes in their new-fangled mission. Their report shows nothing problematic on that assignment. They had not yet received the Holy Spirit, with which to identify. They relied on borrowed power from Jesus. Their declaration of having experienced unprecedented abilities suggests a feeling of greatness.
In the name of Jesus, it had been possible to achieve superior results, making them feel very important. Jesus sent them on this mission to reveal the significance of Christianity. However, their excitement in giving the report triggered a worthwhile rejoinder from Jesus:
“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:17-20 NIV)
Great things are possible by God’s people. But worth remembering is that singular sin of humanity, poisoning those assigned to preach the gospel. Jesus reveals how exposed those privileged to advance the gospel can be. Engagement in the advancement of the gospel can be most exciting. But that excitement should not annul the good judgment of those involved. The blinding factor remains to be pride, as categorically revealed in Jesus’ rejoinder.
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father.
“No one knows who the Son is except the Father and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Luke 10:21-24 NIV)
Henceforth, Jesus summarised the conditions of evangelism, thereby setting the standard. Those assuming that God’s work requires great people from great nations should better take heed. The power of Jesus is primarily not shared with anyone in this world. But it takes only the humble to understand. The arrogant will remain defiant.
This is not surprising, as that phenomenon manifests, even after His millennial reign. Human rebellion has existed for ages, since the beginning of the Adamic dispensation. God’s communication can only reach those willing to submit to Jesus. But why did Jesus express joy, citing the hidden things being revealed to little children, rather than to the wise and learned? The entire theme of Jesus’ mission was the emphasis on child-like humility.
The mystery of God’s Kingdom continues to be hidden from the wise and learned because the wisdom of this world qualifies the description of stupidity. The mystery of humanity is revealed in Genesis 1:26-27. There cannot be a single person to claim to be wiser, neither should anyone assume not to know better than others.
All said and done, God’s image in humanity prevails. The clouding factor remains to be pride, which Jesus came to eradicate. Those called into the ministry have no reason to worry about the concerns of this world, but the spread of the gospel. This is the only condition that promises an only sane civilization to be established by Jesus shortly.
The facilitation of the spread of that new civilization is the responsibility of those reaching out to others with progressive information. Nothing can be more important than the gospel. While persuading people to spread the information as widely as possible can be considered necessary, the control of the respondents is from above.
Jesus declared having overcome the world before the naive would assume the effects of the cross would be a failure. God’s truly begotten children can never find anything better than advancing God’s Kingdom reality. The challenges faced, whether poverty, war, famine, or any other obstacle, can never stop those with the power of God’s Spirit.
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.
I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.
“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:25-33 NIV)
Jesus’ parting words have no relevance to the self-centred people of this world, whose aim is to perpetually avoid trouble. The dramatic manifestation of Jesus does not come from the expected corners of the world. Jesus, like God, is not a respecter of persons. To Him, humans are the same, in agreement with God’s image attribute, whether male or female, black or white, poor or wealthy. Of importance to Him is humility and willingness to be used by Him.
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. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99