A misguided mind assumes that an effect can exist without a cause. While some causes may not be immediately visible, their effects are rarely subtle. Our world urgently needs individuals who understand that today’s actions shape tomorrow’s reality—just as we now contend with the consequences left by the generation before us. Every cause is either catastrophic or restorative; there is no neutral ground.
The Illusion of Gain Without Exchange
Consider the criminal who finds comfort in possessing what he has not earned. Corruption is born from the flawed belief that one can benefit from stolen or destroyed goods without a corresponding effect. When someone takes pleasure in owning what they did not work for, that person has already become corrupt. The person may reap the effects, either in this life or the next. The principle of fair exchange exists to restore balance in ownership.
If I desire my neighbor’s cow, I must offer a price that reflects its true value—a price determined by what satisfies the seller. At first glance, market prices seem credible and capable of fostering development. Yet this holds true only in freedom. In a nation that restricts its citizens, products grow scarce, and prices inflate unnecessarily. Such a repressive government fails to recognize that the very people it suppresses carry their own history, dignity, and divine origin.
The Testimony of Nature
Every living thing declares its purpose through its existence. A mango seed does not struggle to become an orange tree; it grows, flourishes, and bears mangoes. A newborn calf matures into a heifer that, in time, produces another calf. Even the organisms we consider harmful have their place in the ecosystem—our challenge is simply to discern the underlying cause for their existence. Take the cannabis plant. For years, it was dismissed as unacceptable until medical science uncovered its effective healing properties.
Our ignorance of a species’ purpose does not mean it lacks one. Everything created by God holds a specific reason, even if that reason remains hidden from human sight for a season. Look up at the night sky. Countless stars burn in the vastness above, and not one exists without a cause. We easily appreciate the sun for lighting our path, but the distant, unnamed stars remain a mystery to us. Each one has a unique purpose.
Astronomers may discover new galaxies, yet they will never fully grasp the individual reason for every celestial body—especially those with no apparent connection to our planet. So it is with the species of the deep oceans and the creatures of the earth. We face far more unknowns than knowns. The most dangerous error, then, is to suppress any species without understanding its role, for the ripple effect of that suppression may one day disturb our own survival.
The Most Undervalued Species
Tragically, the most unknown and undervalued species on this planet is humanity itself. Suppression exists more fiercely against human beings than against any other creature. God may not be concerned with other species more than He is concerned with humanity, hence King David is attributed to having coined a Psalm asking the question: “What is Man that you are mindful of?” Psalm 8:4-8), compared to the vast universe, exhibits God’s creation?
God created humanity in His image. Every individual walking the streets is an effect whose ultimate cause they may not even recognize. That cause cannot be fully understood by any external observer; it must be discovered inwardly, when a person is willing to examine their own actions and origins. Yet, when seeking that purpose, one must not confine the search to the physical universe alone.
A woman should never assume her creation was only for bearing children, nor a man that he exists merely for procreation. The categories of male and female are limited to the physical realm. Beyond it, the human being is spirit, and the magnitude of knowledge in that realm is beyond our physical senses, just as no one can fully codify the mind of God.
The Spiritual Reality of Humanity
In God, there is no procreation as we know it. God is Spirit, and those created in His image are spirits. The ultimate purpose of humanity extends far beyond what we observe in this temporal world, where people are often sustained by assumptions rather than truth. Hence, women are frequently reduced to childbearing objects, but spiritually, there is neither male nor female, neither class nor race (Galatians 3:26-28).
The Sadducees once approached Jesus, revealing their limited understanding of humanity. They had confined their knowledge to the physical side and raised a convoluted question about marriage at the resurrection. Jesus replied:
“You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but the living.” (Matthew 22:29-32)
The syndrome of suppressing others is born from ignorance. What we perceive with our physical eyes does not reflect the full reality of what was made in God’s image. Every species fulfills its physical purpose instinctively—a lion hunts, a housefly serves its niche in the ecosystem—but humanity alone frequently lacks awareness of its intended role. We carry more confusion than any other species, often conforming to the expectations of those who elevate themselves to false superiority.
The Privilege of the Suppressed
Consider the strangest paradox: the suppressed individuals who appear most unfortunate are often the most privileged. The story of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-30) illustrates this perfectly. While humans struggle to understand their purpose, other creatures instinctively know theirs. One is better off when oppressed than when oppressing others.
Many people live as if they have no purpose at all, adopting the values of oppressive rulers. This reflects a high degree of societal insanity—especially evident in degraded societies under dictatorship. Yet Jesus declared that the first would be last, and the last first—a reality that confounds the wisdom of this world.
Parents should not assume they are the sole reason for their children’s existence; their contribution is limited to genetic inheritance. The true cause of a child’s being lies beyond the parents themselves. Every individual possesses potential that far exceeds human limitations. Created in God’s image, each person embodies attributes of that divine likeness. In essence, every soul has the capacity to reflect the creative power that fashioned the galaxies.
The Veil of Authority
We live in a world where people are conditioned to view everything through the lens of human authorities. These authorities often act as instruments of the serpent that deceived the woman in Eden, asserting an illusory superiority. Many ordinary people eagerly reinforce this notion, influenced by idolatrous mindsets. Yet anyone reading these words can become the starting point of correction within their environment.
Those who have accepted Christ are less susceptible to such deception. They understand that they are no longer part of a misled humanity; they have been embraced as God’s children, created for a purpose. Their existence in this world is to advance the gospel and to discover the unique role for which they were fashioned—a role often entirely different from what they assumed before their conversion.
“No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:7-10)
The rulers of this world often take on a responsibility that is not theirs, believing they know better than the governed. But the fundamental truth is that no human was created to be inherently superior to another. We are all equal, though different, designed according to unique capabilities. The fact that many are unaware of their divine purpose does not make them inferior.
A Call to Discover Your Cause
If every effect has a cause, then the person reading this was created for a reason. The encouragement is simple: communicate with God in spirit, so that He may reveal the purpose of your creation. Some may find they need to set aside professions chosen in ignorance of their true identity, having to focus on what they were created to be.
The original mandate of humanity on this planet is to manage it in a way that enhances its beauty. What we call natural disasters are often the result of poor stewardship. As it is said, Satan is the author of confusion, but God is the author of order. Both confusion and order are outcomes influenced by human actions—whether inclined toward godliness or worldliness. Instead of blaming these effects on God or the devil, humanity must reflect on its own actions that led to the current state of affairs.
“For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:9-12)
The power of humanity is unlocked through the understanding of being God’s child. This empowers the individual, rather than disempowering them. Do not allow the visible to overshadow the invisible. Your purpose is divine, and your impact is eternal. There is no need to feel powerless, even if you find yourself imprisoned for an offense you did not commit. God’s children look beyond the uncomfortable circumstances they may be facing. The worst thing a person can succumb to is the bitterness that arises from unfair treatment by others in this world.
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.
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