The next Zimbabwean General elections are scheduled for 2018. But how ready are the Zimbabwean people for that important exercise? Without addressing causes, emanating from low self-esteem, the forth-coming General elections are just another unnecessary waste of time and resources. The skewed Political activities are just, but an effect of what has been dogging Zimbabwe, since 1980.
Self-esteem implies the measure of an individual’s estimated worth. In terms of value, how much does a person suppose he/she would be worth exchanging for? An average Zimbabwean does not even stop to entertain that kind of question, as long as anyone dangles some cash in exchange of whatever remains of that person’s integrity.
Colonialism cannot be exonerated from enforcing low self-esteem among most black people. Having been subjected to constant invalidation, there is no doubt that black people succumbed and believed everything suggested by whites, pointing at the ugliness of being born black. All this, invalidating what God created in His own image.
Hopefully, this analysis will encourage others to influence the restoration of sanity, to extricate the country out of its diverse challenges. It is not necessary to bestow responsibility on politicians, whether in power or in opposition. National problems are entrenched, or deep-seated in the culture of self-centeredness, caused by low self-esteem. There is no other way of addressing the Zimbabwean challenges without addressing the culture that entrenches low self-esteem, manifesting since 1980, [see The Zimbabwean story].
In Zimbabwe, I suppose even those calling themselves Christians, struggle with the significance of the scripture in Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (KJV).
Most Christians focus on Satan, as arch-enemy, but Christ reveals that the greatest enemy of Christians is money. For instance, the reason why people engage in corruption is because they value money more than their integrity. This is just as we know that a beautiful girl who engages in prostitution puts value in money, more than her self-worth.
The value of a human being is in that he/she was created in God’s image. A true Christian understands that there is no other value that surpasses God’s image. However, the deception that appears as being embraced by most of those, calling themselves Christians, is that acquiring money and wealth is another sign that God is on their side.
But, in his letter to Timothy, Paul declared: “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:8-10) (KJV).
Once again, Paul appears as exonerating Satan from being the root of all evil, but the love of money. However, let us understand that the reason for desiring to hoard money is low self-esteem. A person of low self-esteem seeks to boost his/her worth by associating with expensive things that money could buy. Driving an expensive automobile or staying in a high-quality low-density suburban residence makes a person of low self-esteem feel important.
However, the truth is that what would be important are the expensive car and the house, not the person of low self-esteem. The unforeseen reality is that the expensive things that money can buy are subject to depreciation. In other words, if you stole money and bought an expensive house in 1980, you may have fooled many people to put high value in you, unnecessarily.
The depreciation of the property would eventually expose you to your actual worth. As a person of low self-esteem, you would just be as valueless as a criminal in prison. This explains what has become of our country, Zimbabwe, having been reduced to what it is, by those people of low self-esteem.
If, today, Zimbabwe is a poor country, it is not necessary to look beyond the people of low self-esteem. However, while the truth is that God never created any person as inferior, those of low self-esteem, assume that only the other people were created in God’s image, not them.
Any country’s worth is not ensconced in agricultural, mineral, or other material resource. A country’s worth is determined by people of high self-esteem. Ironically, what causes people to consider themselves with low self-esteem is pride. As long as you view yourself as better than other people, you are one of those susceptible to languishing in the problem of low self-esteem.
Otherwise a person of high self-esteem thinks in terms of what benefits other people more than himself. This is why, wherever Jesus was, people flocked to Him. Jesus was not a person of low self-esteem. He did not rely on what other people thought of Him, except who He actually was—the Son of God. Jesus managed to effectively utilize His being, to benefit people around Him.
Highly talented people, whether in sport, music, or whatever, are mostly free from low self-esteem. Yet, there is no human being ever created by God without gift or talent to benefit other people. There is no need to envy other people, except identifying with your own talent and thinking more in terms of benefitting others.
Envy, corruption, and other criminal activities, like hoarding material things for self, are symptoms of low self-esteem. We can exchange politicians as many times as possible, but without addressing the problem of low-self esteem, the country continues to wallow in its economic challenges.
Zimbabwe is currently in serious problems of poverty, but the undeniable reality is that some few individuals, engrossed in low self-esteem, are keeping large sums of money for themselves. Some of them would rather cling to political positions, in order to keep their ill-gotten gains. The most dangerous thing about people of low self-esteem is that they can easily commit murder, in order to protect the wealth that makes them feel important.
This is the problem that has gripped Zimbabwe since 1980 [as highlighted here]. What is needed is to reverse the culture of self-centeredness, replacing it with the culture of service. The most difficult thing is attempting to reverse anything that would have been adopted as culture. But, unless there can be a way of ensuring that, come elections in 2018, every Zimbabwean is able to think in terms of value addition, than self-enrichment, we are doomed as a country.
As long as the uniformed forces, judiciary, other government officials and ordinary citizens continue to invalidate their integrity by engaging in corruptible activities, this country is doomed. While true, that the Head of State should be accountable for the unaccounted corruption crimes, what is also apparent is that ordinary Zimbabweans have generally adopted corruption as a culture.
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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