Leadership Vacuums

The leadership topic generates interest, as any country’s problems emanate from misapplication of leadership principles. Political commentators agree in that Zimbabwe’s economic challenges are caused by poor leadership in government. Yet the same political analysts are unable to identify good leaders within the entire nation.

Whether one agrees or not, President Mugabe is regarded as the strongest leader by most Africans. Yet among Zimbabweans, Morgan Tsvangirai, uneducated as most people view him to be, is the only opposition leader that has given Robert Mugabe a formidable challenge.

This article dwells on leadership myth and should possibly awaken a few people to discover some truths about the peculiarity of leadership and the Zimbabwean politics. It is not necessary to go to college to obtain leadership skills. This is why the uneducated so-called Mapositori or Madzibaba, successfully lead thousands, including the educated people, in Zimbabwean bushes. When successfully executing whatever talent one has, as being of interests to other people, one assumes the leadership role, even without knowing that there would be followers behind. This is why celebrities are natural trend-setters.

There are those advancing a theory in that you have to be born a leader to be a leader. That is partly true and partly false. All humans were born leaders. The problem lies in deception, engulfing humanity. When successfully answering the following eight questions, one becomes an indisputable leader in his/her own right. There is no need to compete, on issues of leadership. Dr Myles Munroe came up with the first five, but there are eight questions, whose answers serve to demystify the leadership mystery:

1. Who am I? This question helps one to realize that in the entire universe there is no-one like him/her. The Bible reveals that a human being was created in God’s image, and God is self-sustaining. Glorifying God is only possible when one discovers his true identity. Like in the case of Jesus, a person gets stiff opposition when attempting to align with his/her true identity. The existent deception lies in seeking to identify with one’s models, envying their achievements, thereby idolizing them, when setting aside one’s true identity. Jesus managed to successfully display the ability to identify with God, though still misunderstood by many, even today.

2. Where am I from? Like Jesus, the origin of humanity is God (Genesis 1:26-27). Jesus’ problems with the Jews were caused by Jesus’ insisting of being from His Father in Heaven. He identified with God, yet being human like them. Those Jews could not agree with Jesus, whose source was directly from God. To them Genesis 1:26-27, showing their source also being directly from God, did not exist in their vocabulary. True Christians identify with Jesus (Romans 8:15).

3. Why am I here? This question addresses the purpose of being born. Jesus knew His purpose for being on this planet and successfully achieved His goals. He did not waste time doing anything else, except to fulfill His purpose for which He came to earth. The existent deception among humanity is that one is born to obey authority, as coming from other humans. Or, that one was born for his/her own self-gratification, before dying. However, for each individual, there is a specific reason why one exists, known by God and the individual concerned, regardless of background or opposition from those not having identified their own purposes of existence.

4. What can I do? Most people suppose that education plays an important role, for one to achieve one’s potential. However, anyone can achieve anything, as identifying with one’s own talents. The question should be: What can I do to serve other people? In our human abilities, we are as different as there are diverse billions of people around the world. But, under the slavery of sin, very few people appreciate their potential. Each one sits in the comfort of observing the wrongness in others, without doing anything to address such wrongness. Or complaining for not having been accorded the privilege to be educated like others. In my book I identified two questions which, when asked at the point of death, display the calibre of people in society. A) In all my toiling on this planet, was I ever happy that I lived? And B) In all my toiling on this planet, were most people glad that I lived? The answer to the last question identifies with a person having lived a purposeful life on earth. The first identifies with a person dying in slavery.

5. Where am I going with my life? Christians are clear about Heaven being their final destiny. But the most significant factor to appreciate is that the Heavenly beauty is made possible by what one does today. In other words, if you sow maize, you reap maize. We have our own contributions on things to come in the future. In our country, some people are fond of denigrating the country’s leadership, without doing anything to change the circumstances. They expect to reap where they did not sow? The law of cause and effect is the best in illustrating that nothing comes about without being caused by anything. Where one goes in future life is determined by one’s works in this life. The question should be: What legacy am I leaving behind, that will catch up with me in future life?

6. Why does evil exist? I hate it, when people blame Satan for all evil, yet unable to identify a creature called Satan. Of cause there are two forces opposing each other in the entire universe, characterized in good and evil. Through the prophet Hosea, God said: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). We have to first understand what goodness is and what evil is? The demonic forces are there, but associated with forces of darkness, characterized in ignorance. To illustrate, let us use the examples of the carnage on Zimbabwean roads today. Any accident results from bad driving by the person concerned, or by another person. The devil gets blamed. But how do we distinguish between human error and the supernatural works of the devil? We cannot control anything, if not knowledgeable of its faculty. This is why knowledge is power, yet knowledge is a wide topic, needing to be dealt with separately. Nevertheless, the definition of darkness is the absence of light. When one brings light where there is darkness, obviously darkness disappears. In the same way, evil exists where there is no goodness, which comes about through the proper application of knowledge.

7. What is freedom? Ordinarily, freedom means being unrestricted in any way. Being empowered to act, think, or speak freely. Restrictions exist in Christianity, yet Christ says He came to bring liberty (Luke 4:18), which grants us the power of choice. While education carries the tenets of freedom, in most cases education entraps humanity, further. When reinforcing pride, which is the number one enemy of humanity, education becomes part of the problem. An educated person may find it difficult to co-exist with the uneducated, thereby falling under the trap of bondage. A truly educated person seeks to help people solve their problems. He/she executes capabilities that identify with his/her profession without desiring to be viewed as a god. The natural respect that an educated person gets; brings in the aspect of pride. This is one of the reasons why the Jews were mystified by Jesus (John 7:15); revealing being more knowledgeable than them, yet not educated according to their standards. A truly educated person cannot be proud. The uneducated cannot successfully insult a truly educated person, because he/she understands them, while they do not understand him/her. As long as a person has not identified with his/her true source, he/she languishes in bondage. Freedom, enabling a person to achieve his/her own purpose in life, is only possible when identifying with one’s true source and accomplishing one’s purpose in life.

8. What is the role of Jesus? This question brings in the most misunderstood Man, since the first century, yet prophetically recorded since creation. God created man in His own image, yet most people have got no clue of what God’s image is. The Garden of Eden incident shows how error came to be. The rejection of knowledge by Adam and Eve was based on sensual judgment, rather than spiritual. That falsehood led humanity to lose their identity, yet created in God’s image, which is Spiritual. Jesus, as the second Adam, helps to correct the legendary error of identity, associated with humans. Our current human nature is the training ground. Jesus is our teacher, leading us to learn Godly principles, before qualifying for eternity.

Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, which lays down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into becoming a model to other countries 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 the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social instability. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabwean readers 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