Few things feel as satisfying as winning the approval of others. Many worthy projects fail for no other reason than a lack of encouragement and endorsement. Without support, people begin to doubt whether their ideas can ever be workable. Some never even get the chance to present their vision, while a fortunate few have their work discovered and brought to life long after they are gone.
Yet what is right has no rival—it remains true to itself. In fact, the more opposition it faces, the more distinctly it stands out. Jesus is the ultimate example. His message of God’s Kingdom clashed with a sinful world that could not accept it. Even His own disciples, who had pledged to stand by Him, abandoned Him when He faced the cross. But Jesus understood that the truth would advance, even if He was killed for it. The cross did not halt His mission; it amplified it instead.
Jesus made it clear that He followed His Father’s instructions, and He desires His followers to do the same. The reality is that many people back down in the face of adversity because of pride—they worry too much about how others will react instead of standing firm in the truth that comes from God. At its root, all failure is a mixture of pride and cowardice.
You cannot fully define stupidity without including pride. Ignorance is often mistaken for stupidity, but there is nothing stupid about ignorance when a person is aware of it. True wisdom lies in admitting you do not know what you do not know; stupidity is pretending to know what you do not; or, conversely, pretending to not know what you know. Some, out of pride, claim knowledge they lack simply to hide their ignorance.
Jesus’ parable of the rich farmer in Luke 12:16-21 illustrates this well. After an abundant harvest, the man focused entirely on self-indulgence rather than generosity. The farmer seemed wise for prioritizing his own interests, but Jesus used that very idea to illustrate foolishness. He was not alone—most people, even today, are known to care more about self-indulgence and status, hoarding far more than they need.
Similarly, during colonization, white settlers displayed this same stupidity by assuming Africans were unintelligent due to a lack of formal education. The irony is that the colonized assumed the white settlers were wiser in that behavior. In truth, it was the settlers’ own responsibility to improve the uneducated conditions of the black people. Instead, they clung to a false sense of superiority based on nothing more than skin color. They misunderstood that lacking certain information does not automatically make someone stupid.
Like many proud people, the white settlers actively worked to keep the colonized from receiving a quality education. Even when claiming to decolonize Africa by granting independence, they facilitated the installation of corrupt leaders in power. Stupidity can mean failing to share what you know with others. When people are ignorant, those who hold knowledge bear the responsibility to inform them; the blame does not rest with the ignorant.
That responsibility should have fallen to the white settlers, but they ignored it, which only led to guerrilla warfare and further damage to the country. As expected, after driving out the settlers, many freedom fighters fell into the same traps—sometimes making even bigger blunders by mistaking the settlers’ foolishness for wisdom.
This way of thinking turned politics into a game of outsmarting others to gain support and wealth, treating it as proof of supposed entrepreneurial talent. It even seeped into religious gatherings, which became more about personal gain than spiritual salvation. It’s disheartening to see so many choose deception over honesty, and even those who see the truth often lose hope for the sake of short-term rewards.
Power comes from knowledge, but it’s discouraging when ignorance takes the upper hand. For many, the rewards of the moment seem more enticing than the hopes of the future. Still, everyone knows that even the most delicious meal enjoyed now will be forgotten in just a few hours. One lesson that truly captures the essence of wisdom was once shared by Jesus with His disciples:
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and few find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:12-15, NIV)
Simply put, wise people are confident in what they know and happy to share it, never pretending to know more than they do. This openness makes them eager to listen and learn. Fools, on the other hand, avoid learning because they think they already know everything. There are four layers to the problems that trap unsuspecting people. First is pride—those who see themselves as the ultimate authority, unwilling to hear other perspectives, and more focused on protecting their image than finding the truth.
This is followed by a kind of cowardice that might seem like strong support for what’s right, but fear keeps such people from real action. The coward might be a good person at heart, yet their fear keeps them from making a real difference. They can be swayed by the proud, ending up following the uninformed, whose overzealousness only makes things worse. Then there’s the ignorant, making up the third layer of the problem.
It’s maddening how passionately ignorant people can cling to false ideas, even willing to fight or die for something easily disproven. Manipulators thrive on this, stirring emotions so the unaware end up backing wrongdoing without realizing it—just like in Acts 19, when Demetrius stirred up a riot against Paul to protect his own livelihood.
“For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation and said: ‘Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover, you see and hear that not only at Ephesus but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.’ Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians!’ So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.” (Acts 19:24-29, NIV)
This is a clear example of how ignorant people can be used to serve harmful goals. Demetrius was not concerned about their spiritual well-being; he simply wanted to keep his idol-making business profitable. The crowd saw him as devoted to the goddess Diana, but that was not the case. Such people are often manipulated into committing terrible acts for politicians who would never take responsibility for their stupidity afterward.
These individuals passionately oppose anyone who holds ideas that challenge the established order, viewing their opposition to new ideas as an act of patriotism. Their ignorance makes them more deserving of compassion than condemnation, and perhaps even better than educated individuals who remain silent out of pride or fear. Criminals often take advantage of them, driven solely by personal gain and the desire for fame, turning them into instruments that spread fear among the informed yet timid.
The fourth layer is made up of deceitful criminals who know exactly what they’re doing and work to manipulate the uninformed. Because the ignorant can’t think ahead, they’re easily influenced by these seemingly successful individuals. These oppressors believe others must fail for them to thrive, embracing chaos over order. They see order as a danger, since it could allow those they despise to rise to positions of honor above them.
A handful of disruptive individuals can exert a disproportionate influence on society, creating chaos while deflecting blame onto scapegoats. Often shielded by the uninformed, they use fear to control those who hesitate. Such characters show up in both religion and mainstream politics, driven by a false sense of superiority projected by their leaders.
The case of Western sanctions in Zimbabwe demonstrates how easily misinformation can sway public opinion. Regardless of whether the sanctions were truly intended to address human rights abuses, opportunists took full advantage of them. While corruption was the real issue, they reshaped the narrative to make it seem as though sanctions alone caused the nation’s troubles. Without trustworthy information, many found it hard to see past leaders’ rhetoric, making solutions elusive.
True freedom starts from within, driven by an informed public and upheld by the eradication of ignorance. A knowledgeable society is much harder to deceive. It’s especially tough to convince the uninformed that sanctions aren’t the main cause when the narrative is tied to emotionally charged events like the land reform program. Among the fearful are self-proclaimed prayer warriors, rooted in a superstitious religious mindset, who at times can be even more harmful than the most extreme ritualists.
Many people misuse the name of the great humanitarian thinker, Jesus Christ, causing Christianity to develop a vague culture that seems godly but subtly promotes cowardice. From this confusion arise self-proclaimed spiritual leaders, elevated to almost divine status. Corrupt politicians then team up with these pretenders to spread lies and keep society in a state of confusion and passivity.
These powerful figures have one thing in common: good news for humanity poses a threat to them, while bad news works in their favor, a dynamic that ultimately led to Jesus’ crucifixion. Such harmful forces are more dangerous than any deadly pandemic, feeding on the ignorance of the majority and the backing of cowardly individuals.
Interestingly, the cowardly often include the well-educated, who may avoid committing crimes themselves but stay silent as long as their comfortable jobs and businesses are safe. They don’t realize that the toxic atmosphere created by ignorance will eventually hurt them, too. Many ultimately join in, chasing political power to safeguard their own way of life.
Using violence to oust corrupt leaders is rarely a good solution, as it is risky and often harms innocent people. Unfortunately, these bad actors are sometimes admired, especially by relatives who benefit from them, and the problem is made worse by many Christians who never question their beliefs.
The Bible teaches that humans are made in God’s image, so the first step is to inform the uninformed majority of this truth. Society needs accurate information, with the media playing a key role. Yet too often those who know the truth stay silent, valuing human approval over doing what is right. The Bible calls such people cowards, grouping them with wrongdoers (Revelation 21:8).
Cowards, while frustrating, are often exploited by corrupt regimes, even after a power shift. Opposition leaders may promise change but end up serving their own interests, leaning on the same cowards who once upheld the old order. In 1980, for instance, Muzorewa’s supporters swiftly shifted their loyalty to Mugabe. Without the backing of cowards and the ignorant, anti-social criminals lose their entire support base.
Some people may only change through imprisonment, though most are beyond saving. True Christians still hold out hope for positive change when goodness prevails. While oppressors may work to harm others, they, too, eventually meet their end. Progressive universities could examine such individuals as case studies of the forces that shape society.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV)
Turning the other cheek is about choosing to respond to others’ wrongs with grace, taking responsibility in a way that can transform even bad actions into something that drives progress—just as Jesus demonstrated through the cross. Seeing the passion of many who claim to follow Him gives hope for our country’s future.
Zimbabwe needs people who will stand firm for what is right, no matter what the corrupt demand. In a nation that has lost much of its dignity, honest people are rare gems. Too many feel as though they are merely going through the motions—alive on the outside but empty within. Hope still lingers when those who know the truth speak up with courage, choosing integrity over the comfort of fitting in.
Being human is more than what appears on the surface. God’s image is not about outward appearance but about preserving dignity by serving others rather than taking from them. True humanity emerges from adding value to people, though sadly, many have traded that belief for the lie that money matters more than dignity.
Bragging about financial leverage might impress some, but it often drags people down rather than lifting them up. Plenty of individuals have built their fortunes through connections to a corrupt system, and while their wealth may appear attractive, the moral decay behind it is deeply disappointing, leading to an unenviable outcome. The same applies to politicians who believe that manipulating their supporters somehow wins them respect.
In today’s troubled society, insecurity flourishes when we are surrounded by insincere people pretending to be allies. True security comes from doing what is right, not from chasing the values upheld by those who have lost their way. As the saying goes: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22, NKJV).
Knowing we are made in God’s image, we can make a genuine difference in a world as hopeless as ours often seems. But when good people lack the confidence to do what is right, they allow evil to prevail. Strangely, it is often the ignorant who are most bold in their ignorance, while those with knowledge tend toward caution rather than boldly asserting what they know to be true.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, 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, relieving those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions, leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
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