Truth often carries a price few are willing to pay. It demands everything—particularly the surrender of everything tied to personal identity. When Jesus brought truth to humanity two thousand years ago, it met resistance then, as it does now. Why? Because the truth offers little comfort to humans who have grown used to a life of ease. People cling to falsehoods not out of ignorance alone, but because truth provides no safety net for the ego. Once a genuine seeker finds truth, they are irrevocably transformed. If truth were as profitable as many imagine, the world would have long ago been remade in its image.
The Comfort of Belonging
Countless souls move through daily routines, never knowing themselves, accepting whatever life offers as long as it grants the comfort of belonging. I am often shocked by this, yet I forgive those who take offense when information challenges their cherished beliefs. Only the brave continue reading when confronted with unsettling ideas—the kind that led to Jesus’ death. For simple hearts, myths and comforting lies come easily. They preserve the world exactly as it is.
But bold truth-seekers find no reason to settle into the demanding comfort of their surroundings. Hiding truth, even through carefully chosen words, remains the simplest way for wrongdoers to evade accountability. Embracing natural ambiguity becomes the safest escape for the simple-minded seeking to avoid responsibility.
Blessed are those willing to venture into new territory, even when it disturbs physical comfort.
The Courage to Reveal
Consider a grown child learning from his mother the long-guarded secret of his real father. It takes extraordinary courage for a woman to reveal such truth—the consequences are unpredictable. Many mothers, paralyzed by fear, carry these secrets to their graves.
When HIV/AIDS emerged, those who faced their positive status had significantly better chances of living longer than those who chose denial. Though speaking the truth is discomforting, it remains the only path to genuine freedom. Fear of truth has needlessly claimed countless lives. Denial may feel comfortable, but it often leads to an early end.
Perhaps humanity’s greatest fear is uncovering true identity—whether another’s or our own. Discovering who someone truly is can unsettle us, especially after we’ve formed fixed opinions. And facing our own truth? Even harder. The thought that humanity has cycled through the same struggles longer than we can imagine may sound unrealistic—but that doesn’t make it less true.
The Ultimate Example
In the first century, a man from Nazareth named Jesus was killed for speaking the truth about who He was. If people from that era met us today, they’d likely marvel at our technology, just as we struggle to comprehend the simplicity of their world.
The truth of humanity’s story lies beyond time’s boundaries, yet revealing it purely remains risky. Though logic suggests truth should lead to safety and survival, the world often protects liars over truth-tellers. Jesus’ fate demonstrates how dangerous honesty can be—even when no evidence justifies unease.
Truth is the only path to humanity’s freedom, yet many find greater comfort in ignorance’s chains than in embracing truth’s misunderstood principles. No truth matters more than discovering one’s authentic identity; every aspect of survival depends on it.
Though risky, revealing identity brings liberation from all struggles plaguing humanity. But revealing it without considering the comfort people find in falsehood could be dangerous. This, at its core, explains why Jesus came to this seemingly condemned world. The secret of humanity’s true identity was quietly revealed in the Gospel of Matthew:
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah” (Matthew 16:13-20, NIV).
The truth about His identity was so dangerous that Jesus commanded His disciples’ silence. It’s like guarding the secret of a child’s real father—the risk lies in how it disrupts the comfort people find in widely accepted beliefs.
The Disruption of Identity
When someone perceived as insignificant suddenly becomes a person of importance, it destabilizes those around them. The reverse also holds true—losing VIP status and being treated as nothing has driven some to illness or early death.
The real question: do you truly know the person beside you? Your spouse, your child, an old schoolmate, your gardener, housemaid, or even your boss? If the truth about someone’s identity emerged, many would rather disbelieve it—and that’s exactly what Jesus experienced.
“Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked. ‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?'” (Matthew 13:54-56, NIV).
Their response shouldn’t be viewed as different from how most would react today. This is typical human behavior—living without freedom because of an unwillingness to accept reality.
If I asked a question like Jesus asked His disciples, how might anyone respond? “Who do people say Andrew Masuku is?”
Those who know me would answer based on personal impressions and experiences. Yet one might say, “You are the Son of the living God.” To that, I could respond, “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.” That person would have spoken truth based on humanity’s true identity.
When coming from a place of genuinely valuing what it means to be God’s child, there would naturally be apprehension. It’s not hard to see the risk—such a statement would seem highly unlikely coming from an ordinary man and could easily be labeled blasphemy. This reflects the very accusation that led to Jesus’s condemnation before His crucifixion:
“They all asked, ‘Are you then the Son of God?’ He replied, ‘You are right in saying I am.’ Then they said, ‘Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips'” (Luke 22:70-71).
Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God ultimately cost Him His life. He could have saved his life by just saying he wasn’t the Son of God. While that might have been an easy way to stay alive, it would have been a lie and denied who he truly was. Jesus stood by the truth, refusing to give it up just to extend his temporary time on earth.
The Identity Crisis
Many may not realize that one reason people remain in sinful states is their inability to value their identity as children of God. This truth—as certain as the sun rising in the east—still has the potential to spark violence today. But why accuse someone of blasphemy when the Bible itself says humans are made in God’s image? Why view this idea as blasphemous at all?
Why are people uncomfortable with being linked to God, whose likeness they bear? People are often labeled sinful, while God is viewed as entirely pure. This perspective connects humanity to sinfulness, even though we are made in God’s image. Being created in His image, however, doesn’t automatically mean we are sinful.
Perhaps this points to a root cause of human suffering—holding onto things that aren’t truly part of one’s real identity. Only those willing to face the truth can rise out of such a state. While the world has advanced tremendously in technology and other areas, many still struggle with an identity crisis. There’s no knowledge more liberating than realizing you are a child of the living God.
The Transformation of Knowing
Many profess love for Jesus but reject His vision of embracing humanity as God’s children. They claim to love Jesus only when they want Him to carry their burdens, yet remain unwilling to turn from sinful ways. Change begins when people see themselves in the light of being God’s children, sparking profound transformation. Such understanding reveals that a person cannot be defined by physical appearance, just as God is not physical.
Many people are shaped by fear of death, but those who understand they are children of God lose that fear. They face anything with confidence, knowing that while others may harm the body, they cannot touch what was created in God’s image. Embracing this truth—much like one might after receiving the Holy Spirit—is what Jesus meant when He spoke to His disciples:
“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:11-12, NIV).
This Scripture isn’t for casual believers, but for those who truly discover who they really are. Like Jesus, they are children of the Living God, unwilling to conform to the world’s ways, just as He never did. They act only with God’s approval, following His lead in everything.
Living as Children of God
To live by Jesus’ teachings means releasing reliance on human systems and focusing on His exact words, asking how they personally apply. God’s children aren’t bound by laws; they’re led by the Holy Spirit, making them unique—just like Jesus. They don’t seek human approval for what they know is right, just as Jesus didn’t.
They may live in the world, but they’re not of it. No earthly rules can bind them—just as none could bind Jesus. Above all, they’re ready to handle whatever comes, unlike those Jesus rebuked when He calmed the storm:
“You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then He rebuked the wind and waves, and the sea became completely calm (Matthew 8:26, NIV).
At that time, His disciples hadn’t yet grasped the significance of being God’s children. All they had was faith in Jesus, yet they remained unwilling to let go of their physical perspective. Only God’s children can truly be relied upon to face any crisis. They are called to make a difference in our turbulent times. That’s why Jesus said:
“Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:11-12, NIV).
These people shouldn’t be regarded as pretenders, but as God’s children, guided by the Holy Spirit in all they do. What’s most striking about their existence is that they don’t fit into the world’s categories. They appear ordinary, just as Jesus did. Most people can’t identify God’s children, just as Jesus wasn’t recognized as God’s Son while He walked the earth. Still, a few might recognize them, much as a few recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
The Invitation
After revealing such a profound truth, the question remains: Does it stir some to discover their true identity? God’s children aren’t defined by race or education. In fact, all humans have the potential to be God’s children when they are willing to let go of their physical identity. Only the bold and curious are to undertake the challenging journey of embracing God as their Father, releasing their physical limitations.
The truth remains expensive and dangerous. But for those who find it—or rather, are found by it—there is no greater freedom.
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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