For survival, this world necessitates familial connectivity with like-minded individuals. However, the fundamental truth lies in the duality between good and evil, affecting all people, regardless of race. The dichotomy of good and evil influences the significance of controversy. Trouble always arises from blending the two opposites as unrelated. Safety is found in either pole. Individuals seeking life are encouraged to focus on programs that promote life. Conversely, those who are comfortable with death should distance themselves from anything associated with life. This is a reaffirmation of a fundamental principle that applies universally.
The world is in a state of confusion due to the inability to distinguish between good and evil. Out of introversion, those with knowledge are willing to turn a blind eye if they benefit from the evil next door. Tolerating evil to promote tranquillity provides only temporary peace, with long-term calamitous effects. The benefit of distinguishing goodness from evil bestows responsibility upon the knowledgeable. A disastrous situation arises when good countries adopt policies of inaction while observing other nations fostering harmful policies. In the pursuit of diplomatic correctness, evil would be accepted as good.
Currently, some nations are deemed peaceful due to their stance of nonalignment, but such countries could be sources of global issues. For instance, Switzerland is considered one of the most peaceful countries. However, questions arise when considering that Switzerland’s banking policy does not scrutinize corruptly deposited funds from offshore. This is deemed acceptable by the citizens of that country but causes problems in other countries. China is known for not tolerating corruption among its citizens. However, China trades minerals with corrupt government officials in third-world countries
The mission of Jesus is to save humanity, regardless of race. Goodness is attainable when one understands the principle of cause and effect. Evil exists in the world, but only a few individuals are willing to confront its underlying causes. Considering that Jesus came to bring light and assigned Christians the duty to bear that light, one can observe a degree of neglect among Christians. Christians are not only the salt but also the light among the people of this world. Each Christian has the responsibility to transmit the light that came through Jesus. Approximately two thousand years have passed since the introduction of Christianity.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone practising evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be seen, that they have been done in God” (John 3:16-21 NKJV).
No nation should claim ownership of Christianity. Believing in Jesus involves embracing and practising His teachings to inspire others to do the same. There is no justification for withholding valuable information, for those who have acquired knowledge ahead of others. Jesus taught the principle of being a brother’s keeper, which extends beyond one’s relatives. Humanity was created to be united in God, regardless of nationality or country of origin. The privilege of enlightenment comes with the responsibility to help others see the light. The greatness of a nation lies in its positive influence on other nations and in promoting better ways of living.
A nation can be as peaceful as its citizens are cultured to practice the idealistic principles of ethical living. However, such a nation suffers when it fails to be interested in what happens elsewhere. The negative influence of unethical nations can affect other nations with bad habits, in one way or another. Just as good habits can be exported to other countries with a positive impact, bad habits can also spread. What is important is to advance the truth that the influence of goodness starts with one person, rather than expecting a nation to change overnight. Christianity describes individuals who are indifferent to living a harmonious lifestyle.
In a school setting, a single student can significantly influence other students, either positively or negatively, in shaping the school’s culture. An exemplary individual known for outstanding conduct can mould the school’s culture. Unfortunately, some negative characters can also be popular, as to instil harmful influences that may become part of the culture. This principle applies to any team player in any field, whether in sports or a religious institution. In Zimbabwean football, each leading club in a particular season often has an outstanding individual player. The rest of the team becomes effective due to that individual’s influence. This suggests that an individual can effectively influence an entire nation and be impactful on the world stage.
The approximately sixteen million people in Zimbabwe need one influential person to help turn around the country’s fortunes. Those who assume they are just ordinary people cannot be expected to come up with any workable project. The obstacle lies in the assumption that some people are born to be superior or inferior to others. This belief undermines the potential of individuals to implement their workable ideas. The most formidable question is how to instil confidence among ordinary Zimbabweans so they move away from idolizing other individuals. Each needs to be freed from a lack of self-trust.
Standing by one’s beliefs is considered most difficult among those unwilling to withstand the pressure exerted by others. However, adhering to one’s convictions regardless of what others say or do is the most virtuous principle in life. Those deemed extraordinary are regarded as such because of their resilience in upholding their beliefs. Conversely, those deemed unsuccessful are often impeded by cowardice, unwilling to endure pressure from adversaries.
The belief that some individuals are superior or inferior to others is a fallacy. The truth is that God did not create anyone superior or inferior to others. We are all born into different circumstances, but equal in God’s eyes. Some are born into royal families, while others are born into appalling conditions of abject poverty. Some have access to quality education, while others do not. Such disparities should not determine who has an advantage or disadvantage over others.
The individual who holds an advantage over others bears the responsibility to uplift the disadvantaged. The dividing factor should not be what benefits one and disadvantages another. The dividing line should always be considered according to goodness and evil. What is good cannot be determined by holding a certificate in higher learning or by one’s socioeconomic background. A person can be good without being able to write their name, and yet a person can be highly educated and still be evil.
Jesus randomly appointed His disciples, without factoring in the profiles of their credentials. Those disciples were different in their outlook. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were businessmen in the fishing industry, the same as James and John. Matthew was a tax collector and the tax collectors were considered unforgivable before God. Judas Iscariot was also selected to be one of those special people, as the first disciples of Jesus. Nevertheless, the fact that there was no uniform criterion for selecting the disciples, invites questions.
The fundamental principle of Christianity is the concept of being born anew, which implies the need to observe things afresh. Living in this world necessitates accepting its culture and customs to gain acceptance for physical survival. Failure to blend with the cultures of this world renders one unacceptable, leading to survival challenges. This consideration of acceptance has normalized the idea of human categorization, resulting in some people being considered superior or inferior to others. Therefore, Paul suggested that Christians should be transformed rather than conformed to this world.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:1-3 NKJV).
Paul’s pronouncement suggests that division should be based on categorizing people as equals, rather than on subjective considerations. Discriminating against a person based on their skin colour or any other consideration is evil. However, using a standard based on the potential value of the person being considered is good. Interestingly, the ability to discern what is good or bad does not require educational qualifications. Some traditional chiefs are known to be better judges than the magistrates we know today.
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them And walk among among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. Therefore Come out from among them. And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NKJV).
Tolerance is a detrimental condition that should be avoided, much like mediocrity. It is futile to persuade someone who willfully ignores evil when it is present. However, an informed individual can discern between good and evil. Separating the chaff from the wheat is essential, to ensure the fruits of one’s labour. The world’s problems require individuals who can distinguish between good and evil and refrain from conflating the two. Nonaligned countries should be encouraged to take positions so that what they stand for can be known.
Jesus was not impartial but showed us the path to righteousness so that those who believe in Him could make a difference. The responsibility bestowed upon those to make a difference requires them to distinctly project a lifestyle that is different from ordinary living. This does not necessitate physical separation, but rather being different amidst those with opposing views. While this may sound contradictory, it simply means being among those with bad intentions but making a notable difference in their midst. One of the manifestations that Jesus sought to teach as a virtue of being different without separation is in His prayer for the disciples.
“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:15-23 NKJV).
The primary reason for Jesus’ crucifixion was His nonalignment. His prayer for His disciples to remain in the world implied that they would be among sinners but not live sinful lives. The lifestyle Jesus recommended for His disciples, amidst opposition, would achieve two objectives. The first was to make a difference and be a light among those groping in darkness. The second was to be sanctified while living among those opposed to their lifestyles. Therefore, there would be no need for such individuals to adopt a stance of nonalignment, but rather to be distinct.
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.
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