devotion column Erasmus Makarimayi
SOME of the problems that we face as human beings are a result of the country in which we live.
I believe in divine will for Zimbabwe. Political direction may be divergent from God’s plan. There are spiritual and economic challenges that have to be addressed within the context of geographical boundaries. Leadership crisis and governance affect the productivity and peace of nations. Many have left their countries of birth to other nations in search of “greener pastures”. Certain countries are good breeding grounds for progress and development. Some countries have high crime rates, corruption, suffer from civil strife and are war zones; and are, therefore, not ideal destinations for investment. Lack of peace affects industrial and economic boom. Employment creation is, therefore, curtailed.
While nations face various challenges, the citizens have a duty to develop their own countries. The all knowing and all powerful God created and put us on the part of the earth where we should be fruitful according to His first command to the human race. He said in Genesis 1:28: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” God has sovereign authority and could have created you with a different skin pigmentation, different sex, from a different family and placed you on any party of the world. You were born the way you were and placed in the country you originate because He approved it. You have what it takes to make it in your own country.
All over the world, people try to assimilate the culture of nations they deem better. They look for every opportunity to be citizens of those countries. Since the world is now a global village, you have access to any part of the world. So, you can go to school in any country, work in any country and do business with any country. I am not against that. What I am against is working hard to lose your identity and hate your own country of origin. Some people think it is fashionable not to know their mother tongue. Love your identity and respect God for who you are. Your country has the ingredients to do well. Pray for its peace. God taught the Israelites that they would do well if the country where they were going to be held captive prospered. Jeremiah 29:7 reads: “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.”
The truth from the Scripture above is that the state of peace in any country can affect you and your individual success. Politicians should put their countries ahead of personal greed. Those in authority should not get rich by oppressing fellow citizens. The general populace should not wait for an opportunity to milk the country. From the first to the last citizen, we should all love our country and be responsible citizens. From the top to the bottom, let everyone pray and do good for their country. Don’t despise your country. Speak well of it, irrespective of your political opinion. Think generationally and act that way so the coming generations will inherit a nation that will be the envy of many. Live for posterity.
Don’t look down upon yourself and where you belong. Love and respect the family you come from, even if it is one of the poorest. Work hard to improve its standard of living. Do the same for the primary and secondary schools you attended. Help the community you belong to. If you have a rural home, even if you abandoned it, please help to uplift its standard of life to the extend even of swinging the level of migration towards the urban at a minimal. It is unfortunate that people think of patriotism as belonging to a political opinion. Politicians come and go. Be patriotic to the destiny of your nation. You should be so patriotic to the extent of desiring your dialect or language to become international. Help put your nation on the world map. Love and pray for your country. Don’t destroy it, build it. See your country beyond mere sloganeering. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knowledge.
