Covetousness could be the only major sin that turned Zimbabwe into its current condition of poverty, more than the policies of the government. Politicians adopted coveting, as a tool, after noticing that it resonated quite well with voters. Zimbabwe cannot be truthfully transformed, as long as the vise of covetousness is not adequately addressed.
The black people in this country lived communally. While the seed of covetousness still existed, the culture of relationships could easily be observed among those of the same clan. This is no longer the case; as covetousness has taken firm root in the lives of black people, more than it has ever been.
While the former Prime Minister of Rhodesia, Ian Smith, presided over a system that oppressed black people in favor of whites; at independence, those blacks displayed that they actually envied the life-style of the whites. They ferociously sought the standards that identified with the white people. Some of them even sought to despise their fellow blacks, in the same way that the whites despised Africans.
It cannot be denied that covetousness is the greatest foe that existed, even prior to the war. The freedom fighters heightened it, during their guerilla operations. It is not clear though whether it was the freedom fighters who deliberately promoted it, or whether it was the traditional leaders.
The majority of those slaughtered during the war, were highly progressive people, sold out to the guerillas, who did not have checking mechanism for truthfulness. You were to be considered a sellout, as long as you were more successful than others. What Zimbabwe goes through, right now, are effects of such skewed war tactics by those, crowning themselves as freedom fighters.
Witchcraft can also be traced to covetousness. However, in my view, covetousness was promoted by colonialism, more than it had been a problem among Africans. The whites promoted a false impression that being white was naturally an advantage. The blacks simply believed and supposed that copying the white culture takes them out of the despicable conditions of inferiority complex.
While Zimbabwe is used as an example, the problem of covetousness is worldwide. Its root cause is ignorance, even leading to racial considerations when evaluating people. This is more prevalent in African countries, than it is, among Europeans. But this type of ignorance is universal, though more pronounced among the former colonies of the world.
The indisputable data is that a human being was created in God’s image. The knowledge of this data, actually, serves to eradicate ignorance. If everyone was created in God’s image, then, no-one can be compared with anyone, at any given time. A professor and someone unable to read and right should not be compared, one in favour of the other. [See here]
The falsehood is intertwined in lacking the identities, as displayed by those two individuals. Where did one come from, and why does one exist on this planet? When taking comfort in being identified with a title of professorship, clearly shows that the learned professor would have no clue of who he/she would be.
As I have often used an analogy of other species that cannot be compared with anything, a person aiming at obtaining a title that earns him/her recognition implies misinformation. A lion does not need label to distinguish itself being lion, as compared with other species [see here].
A lion has characteristics that distinguish it, in comparison with other species. But it cannot be better than a zebra, for instance. The lion may show prowess in attacking its prey, but there is nothing peculiar with that, except that the lion would be identifying with what it was created to be.
Both the two animals were created for different reasons. It can only be an insane person, wishing that God ought not have created the other, in favour of the other. Creatures of different identities cannot be compared. The birds of the air cannot be compared to sea creatures.
Comparing one species to another is inevitable, among ignorant people. Those species are as different as paraffin is different to water. To assume that what is preferred, at any given time is better than what is not, shows misjudgment. This is like a person judging that rain is unnecessary at all times. The person’s judgment would be influenced by conditions of temporary dictates.
The most important known data, in this universe, is that there is nothing that was created without purpose. Even the AIDS virus, known to cause havoc with humanity was, actually, created for a purpose. Marijuana is a beautiful plant that God created for specific purposes, not readily known, other than the abuse that is currently associated with marijuana.
The same applies to anything created by God, for any purpose, though not known at any given time. The problem with humanity is that while created for specific purpose on each, there is need to discover the purpose through communication with the Creator. Each individual carries a specific purpose that is not identifiable with anyone else in the entire universe. Each is unique.
Only covetousness has destroyed each individual’s potential. Education, in its current format, complicates the confusion. Everyone desires education, in order to obtain approval, not from God, but from fellow humans.
There is nothing wrong with education, except when supposing that it makes one better than other fellow humans. This is what leads to covetousness, which is a scourge of humanity that has destroyed any reason for surviving on this planet.
This serves as the only reason that causes suicides and all other criminal activities on earth. A young man attempts to do things that his parents desire to see him accomplish. The parents compare him with those born with natural talent for whatever is aimed.
The young man, failing to realize that God never created him for anything other than what identifies with him, gets frustrated. His own exclusive, but special talent remains unattended. His frustration leads him to find no other reason for survival on earth—hence suicide.
Criminality is short-cut, in acquiring what makes the person identify with successful people. As indicated earlier on, most blacks suppose that success is measured by living like whites. Anything not identifying with the culture of the whites is considered unacceptable.
There may not be anything wrong with aiming at reaching higher standards, as long as adding value on other people. What is wrong is aiming at making oneself identify with what he/she was not created to be. Dressing like a white man, in order to attain approval by those envying white people cannot be right.
No-one may ever know reasons for being born black or white. But God has special reason for that; which, if discovered, can even surprise and leave the person in state of disbelief. The person may not necessarily be the only one with that talent, but would simply be special in that talent, being not comparable to anyone.
There is no need to envy being white or black and there is no need to look down on other people. The best thing is to identify with reason why one was created. That reason ought to be always to do with value addition. Others need encouragement to also identify with their own talents so that everyone benefits from one another.
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