The Bible isn’t always easy for the average reader to connect with. That difficulty isn’t accidental. When Jesus was asked why He spoke to the crowds in parables, He explained that direct teaching was reserved for those truly seeking a connection with God (Mark 4:10–12). Similarly, God told Moses that no one could see Him and live. The Scriptures, though not overly complicated, weren’t written primarily with outsiders in mind. Calling Abraham “father” rather than Adam might be part of that design.
It’s unkind to mock those who don’t understand the Bible, but helping those who genuinely want to learn is good. Skeptics should be left to wrestle with their doubts on their own. Abraham is a key figure for the Israelites and is equally honored by Christians, as Galatians 3:29 points out. Even when speaking to the Pharisees—who knew the Scriptures well—Jesus used parables to open a window to the simple truth of connecting with God.
“The time came when the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’” (Luke 16:22–24, NIV)
To understand human life and its purpose, it helps to look back to the beginning. Adam is the father of humanity; his life wasn’t so different from ours today, though perhaps marked by less corruption. Abraham, on the other hand, is also called the father of many nations (Genesis 22:16–18; Galatians 3:29). While education should foster reasoning, modern systems often end up creating division through that very education.
People with less schooling are too often treated as inferior, and discrimination—whether through racism or tribalism—can feel like class divides linked to limited access to learning. True learning reminds us that, since humanity is made in God’s image, no one should think themselves above or beneath others. Many of life’s problems could be solved with simple common sense, rooted in our shared humanity, where love is the primary key.
Those struggling with less education aren’t fundamentally different from anyone else; often, it’s simply a matter of access to true education that makes the difference. This is the simplicity for which Jesus died on the cross, though theologians may sometimes overlook it. Despite His wisdom, Jesus remained humble, giving His life for a confused humanity, carrying their burdens, and holding fast to the truth that He was not above them.
Some people are naturally shorter and can’t reach what taller people can; in a perfect world, the taller would help the shorter with what they couldn’t do alone. Likewise, smaller bodies can move through spaces where larger ones struggle. While some may appear more capable, the privilege belongs to those who use their ability to support others. True responsibility means taking on others’ shortcomings as if they were your own.
A genuinely educated person carries the burdens of the uneducated without expecting anything in return. This stands in sharp contrast to today, when education often becomes a ticket to comfort or status, feeding on pride. True Christians relate more to Abraham than to Adam. Abraham was as human as we are, but his close relationship with the Creator made him stand out. After humanity’s fall in Eden, hope seemed lost until Abram’s story in Genesis 12–25 brought light.
The Bible’s account of humanity is straightforward: from Adam’s creation from clay, people have struggled to know who they are, often seeing themselves only as animals competing to survive. History is marked by wars, with victors praised for conquering enemies, and powerful nations rising over weaker ones, who either endure oppression or seek stronger allies against common foes.
Alliances are often admired when formed against a common enemy, but they can resemble packs of wild dogs, hyenas, or jackals teaming up against lions, embodying “survival of the fittest.” Once the shared threat disappears, these predatory allies often turn on each other, leaving no true victor.
Humans weren’t meant to act like predatory animals. They were created to have dominion over other species, a role sustained by the power of reasoning. When people communicate thoughtfully and listen carefully, it often becomes clear that they could resolve their issues without hostility. The concept of fighting doesn’t come from God, the creator of humanity.
What many might not expect is that bearing one another’s burdens extends even to criminals serving time for terrible acts. Much of human suffering comes from failing to take responsibility for each other. We must confront the reasons behind this failure (1 John 3:16); that is the true sin of humanity—the one, according to John the Baptist, that Jesus came to atone for through His death on the cross.
“This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” (John 1:28–30, NIV)
The real issue in the world isn’t just the obvious wrongs we think of today—it’s pride. Being praised for achievements feels good, and for many, that desire for recognition outweighs the willingness to serve freely. Pride might seem harmless, but it causes pain and drives people to want to look better than everyone else. Sadly, some avoid helping others because they don’t want to see them overtake their own exalted status.
For Jesus, what ultimately led to His death was helping the poor. The charges of breaking the Sabbath or blasphemy were just excuses; His real “offense” was showing compassion to those labeled as sinners. In their pride, self-righteous individuals saw Him as condoning sin, even though He was the only one without it. The people He helped were called sinners, but the truth is, we’re all meant to serve each other—and when we judge others, we’re really judging ourselves, since no one is untouched by sin.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?’” (Matthew 7:1–4, NIV)
This is one of those Scriptures that those in power often dislike the most. In an imperfect world, everyday people are too often seen as deserving punishment, and authority becomes a way to keep “sinners” in line to make life easier for those in charge. Instead of offering love, they hold on to hate, wishing those they label as sinners would simply vanish.
It’s not hard to see why such judgment thrives among those who believe they’re more righteous than others. Sin has its hold on them too, even though they can’t see it, and for them it may be even more difficult to eradicate. These are the people convinced they’re on the right path. They think their job is to bring order to chaos, but often the real chaos comes from their own actions and the belief that they’re above the worst offenders.
The truth is, they don’t realize how lost they really are. They miss the fact that there are only two ways to misunderstand something: believing you know it all, or failing to grasp the meaning of certain words. What’s truly needed are compassionate teachers who can guide people through the words and ideas they’ve misunderstood. The biggest challenge lies in dealing with those who think they know it all.
People who claim to know it all often refuse to hear alternative ideas. They reject progressive information, blaming it on known sinful characters of the world, and so they remain entrenched in the very sin Jesus died for on the cross. This sin is deeply rooted among authoritarians who control others, incapable of accepting change. Ordinary people tend to follow along meekly, accepting whatever these figures declare as truth, even when it’s false. Their followers assume that being condemned by those in “authority” is the same as being rejected by God.
Standing for truth in this world can be extremely hard, even dangerous. It was truth that led to Jesus’ death and the deaths of the early apostles. My heart aches for those who see the truth yet choose silence out of fear of being excluded by authoritarians. Those who find comfort simply in belonging to a Christian organization are no different from those who reject Christianity altogether. True Christians will be revealed when Jesus returns.
Careful observation suggests that those truly aligned with Jesus may come from the dead more than from the living. This conclusion arises from studying human behavior, even in our own time. While it’s clear that authoritarians are enemies of Jesus, ordinary Christians also oppose Him through fear, intimidated by those same authoritarians. They fear death, yet claim to believe in Him who overcame it, lacking the conviction to live by His example and instead yielding to false leaders.
This implies that to truly become a Christian, one must live as Abraham did. Known as the “father” of Christians, Abraham is described in Galatians 3:29 (NIV): “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Abraham followed only God’s guidance, taking direction straight from Him, even though he was not the Christ, as Jesus was. Abraham stayed strong in his faith, trusting the Creator of all things, and Christians are encouraged to follow his example.
This draws a contrast between those shaped by Adam and those who, like Abraham, put their trust in God. Many who claim to lead are not genuine; as Jesus taught, they might be able to hear but are unable to apply what He taught.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” (Matthew 23:1–4, NIV)
Unlike Abraham, who trusted God without ever seeing Him, Christians today have the gift of seeing God’s character more clearly through Jesus. Yet it’s still not without challenges, especially when authority figures speak in ways that seem to overshadow His voice. Living the Christian life was never meant to be easy—it requires a willingness to surrender everything in wholehearted commitment.
At its core, faith means tying your own well-being to the well-being of others, recognizing their good health as part of your own. There’s a deep joy and peace in living under God’s authority, even when others don’t understand or choose to walk away. For Christians, the best place to stand is firmly in obedience to God, even when faced with pushback.
There’s nothing quite like the fulfillment it brings, and as Jesus said in Matthew 5:10–12, the actual joy of a Christian is found in being persecuted. Knowing that no one is above or below anyone else helps one to focus on what God has equipped them with in doing His work. It’s not about praying like Peter or preaching like Paul, but about using whatever gifts you’ve been given—big or small—to serve others.
It’s God who does the work through a person, not the person God uses. That’s why Christ taught us not to perform righteous acts just to gain public approval. Serving God means submitting to Him without worrying about those who don’t appreciate the message—He can open their eyes in His own time. And remember, you’re no better or worse than the people you aim to serve.
Abraham’s story stands in contrast to Adam’s. While Adam disobeyed God, Abraham went out of his way to follow Him. Despite being part of Adam’s lineage, Abraham chose to let God direct every aspect of his life. His readiness to even offer his only son, as God commanded, brought God’s grace upon him. Through that grace, Abraham became like a new creation—much like any Christian who, as Galatians 3:29 says, becomes his child.
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
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99