The well-known adage: “Knowledge is power” is as true as ought to have been the case throughout the ages. However, what currently prevails is the suppression of knowledge. Power is in the hands of those with guns to kill. In fear of being killed, humanity submits to gun carriers—regardless of gun carriers’ inability to provide desirable knowledge.
Another falsehood, as adopted by humanity is assumption that being in possession of money and wealth gives the right to control other people. With money, one can actually buy power from those holding guns and therefore acquire protection from the poor people.
In such reality exists cartels—predisposed to control the economy of a country, as well as the majority of people—dying in misery. Money is used to purchase ammunition. Army Generals are manipulated by the rich, who provide sufficient funding for stocking armouries—all for purposes of power protection.
I suppose this is what characterizes what mostly prevails in the poverty-stricken African continent? Fear is given dominance over everything else. Everyone seeks to be compliant, than being considered as being at variance with those holding the so-called power.
However, this is unworkable—being what generally causes the appalling conditions in the entire African continent. Power and control have got nothing to do with guns and money. Logic dictates that when in an unfamiliar territory, the one familiar with the territory, has power to control strangers. This is the only reason why, as a matter of common sense, “Knowledge is Power.” Money and guns have got nothing to do with power.
Without knowledge everyone stumbles in darkness. Unfortunately, those not familiar with this simplicity, reject knowledge—seeking to usurp power through guns and money. The mission of those without knowledge, but with loads of ammunition and money, is to victimize people with knowledge.
Those people seek to control the media—for purposes of demonizing the knowledgeable ones. This is what naturally serves to produce the intimidated populace—conveniently seeking to be connected with those holding cash and guns. They prefer being connected with gun carriers, rather than being connected with those holding knowledge—yet without guns and cash.
Nevertheless, it is historically known that the power of guns and cash has never lasted for ever. Being as temporary as mist or fog is temporary, such power is fictitious—though effective in sustaining human miseries. Jesus did not have weapons and cash, to ensure the sustenance of power—as currently known to exist with Him.
The popularity of Jesus has got nothing to do with physical wealth. Jesus also held no political power that would make Him influential in His time. What then, caused Him to be as popular as known, even at our time? This should help us in discovering the real formula for power.
Even in His physical absence today, Jesus remains powerful—more than any personality with apparent unlimited wealth and ammunition. Here is what sustained and continues to sustain Jesus’ power, revealed in what He kept advising His disciples. This came after two of those disciples had sought positions that would ensure power over others:
“….But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:25-28) (ESV).
Jesus did not have appetite to be served or loved. He sought to serve other people, regardless of whether they appreciated His services or not. While appearing as going against logic, this is what sustains Jesus’ popularity—even after approximately two thousand years since His departure from this planet.
Similarly, there are many people known to have died as paupers, yet highly remembered and documented for the services they did for humanity. It is common knowledge that whoever serves others of their needs can easily be respected and regarded as king.
The person who cooks and serves you with food, when you are hungry, is likable to you—regardless of your position and status. I suppose the rich people find it difficult not to appreciate those doing laundry, cleaning their cars and doing any other chore for their convenience?
Services of this nature are looked down upon, but not different from any other service that seeks to address the needs of other people. Anyone who serves—as addressing the needs of other people—is king. Those benefitting from such services hold deep-seated adoration, but aggrieved when such people depart.
In the book of Acts, a woman called Dorcas or Tabitha, had been known to serve the poor people, using her talent in sewing clothes. When Dorcas died, there was widespread outcry, as the poor had lost their benefactor. God had to manifest a miracle in resurrecting Dorcas through Peter (Acts 9:36-41). This is because Dorcas had power, as a result of her service to the community.
A person who brings water and food at an arid land, can easily be worshipped. That person would be viewed as Messianic—serving people from possible death—due to hunger and thirst. Nothing equals service, as far as human beings desire to be valued and dignified. But service alone cannot be service without knowledge of what one handles in order to serve others.
Therefore, acquisition of power can be defined as comprising three simple terms: Knowledge, Control and Responsibility. As one carrying power, you cannot control other people without knowledge and responsibility in what affects them, concerning the area of your understanding.
Imagine a barefooted young girl in Matobo Hills of Matabeleland—with knowledge of the safest movements in that area. The world famous executives visiting the Matobo Hills area for the first time, have to be controlled by the barefooted your girl. This is because the young girl would be wielding knowledge, for safest movements in that area.
In that particular area, where the famous executives are estranged, they have to acquiesce to the young girl’s knowledge, for their safety. Because of her knowledge of the area, the young girl would, at that point, be in control of those executives. This is notwithstanding the young girl being uneducated in other areas of survival. As one responsible for the safety of those executives, the barefooted young girl would be wielding power over them.
This may be the simplest way of describing power—showing that it has no consideration of fame, wealth and ammunition. It is only associated with knowledge—bestowing responsibility and control over those in need of such survival information. However, that power is not absolute, as, in this life, no-one can be knowledgeable over everything.
For instance, the young girl controlling the most famous executives in our illustration may also desire knowledge, held by those famous executives. The barefooted young girl may not be aware of knowledge richness held by those executives, whose movements would be under her control. This is just as the famous executives could ignore the barefooted young girl with unparalleled richness of knowledge in Matobo hills, at their own peril.
Therefore, in a sane environment, there cannot be anyone with absolute power. Everyone would hold power—confined in their respective beingness. Everyone needs to be aware of power—confined in other people’s respective beingness. This explains what still appears as the unexplained mysticism in providing solutions to human survival.
Currently, each individual seeks to be another person—desiring to impress, rather than express own beingness. One of the Ten Commandments states that one should not covet one’s neighbour’s possessions. But, even in our educational system, children are encouraged to be like other people, rather than being themselves. It is an educational system that encourages ability to impress, rather than express what one was created to be.
Sadly, this is what is also projected among Christian groupings, in whom the author—Jesus Christ—revealed the service philosophy without reservations. The whole idea of denominationalism in Christianity, is centred on impressing, more than it ought to be centred on expressing. See [Christianity serves to invalidate God’s Kingdom].
This world appears as condemned for ever. But the condemnation is basically associated with failure to appreciate that another fellow human being holds power, not inherent with the proud people. This is the principle that was described by Jesus, as sustaining the Law and the Prophets:
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12) (ESV).
This world is sustained by those assuming absolute control over others. The invalidated ones, then submit to being controlled—without realising own exclusive abilities to also control others in own fields of knowledge. In other words, this is a world embroiled in idolatry. People seek to worship other things or other people, without asking themselves a simple question: What was I created to do, for other people to be glad that I was born?
The focus is on being served, rather than it ought to be on serving other people. The most brilliant talents that God invested among diversified humanity, are mostly interred in grave yards. People die without ever expressing whatever they were created to be. This is due to a suppressive environment—refusing to accept that knowledge could come from despised quarters.
When carefully following the story of Jesus, one observes a Man murdered, simply for revealing this reality. But on top of it all is pride, which seeks to elevate self, at the expense of everyone else. While the death of Jesus ought to be viewed as having facilitated freedom—the chains of suppression continue to subjugate the ignorant humanity.
Anyone assuming not to have power, is still groping in darkness. Each individual was created in God’s image, for whatever God created that individual to be. There is no need to be scared of anything, when connected to one’s Creator. The understanding of this reality is in Jesus—declaring Himself as the way, truth and the life (John 14:6). Everything said by Jesus should, therefore, be taken as stable datum.
Jesus did not have physical possessions in this life. But He had power—sustained in the abundant knowledge He had. Jesus did not have weapons to defend Himself from His enemies. But had power that continues to manifest even today—though manipulated by the crafty suppressive people.
There is no record of Jesus having received education from the renowned educational facilities of His time (John 7:15). But His power continues unabated, even at our time. People seem to enjoy talking about miracles. But there is no miracle that surpasses the discovery of knowledge, inherent with any person, created in God’s image.
The secret of Jesus’ power was not centred in weaponry or anything else, but knowledge—as obtained directly from the source of all knowledge. Similarly, each individual—regardless of his/her circumstances—has knowledge that is peculiar to him/herself, as coming directly from the source.
There is no need to boast or feel superior to others, who also similarly hold their own respective knowledge—peculiar to each of them. Instead of seeking to invalidate one another, it is necessary for humanity to validate one another. This alone is what would address all problems of humanity, because answers to our survival are contained among the respectively suppressed individuals.
The criticism highlighted here, appears as directed at those responsible for suppressing other people. But this is equally directed at those succumbing to suppression, instead of waking up to take the responsibility for whatever one was created to be. Forget about fictitious authorities that were smashed by Jesus on the Cross—as revealed in His teachings (Matthew 23:8-12).
The secret remains in that knowledge bestows each individual with respective responsibility and control over others. This cannot be taken lightly. It requires hard work, on the part of anyone reading this material. This is why Jesus said the greatest ought to be those working harder than everyone else. Otherwise there is no power in lethargy, or self-abnegation.
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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