“He’s the best leader in the world.” On my final flight into Zimbabwe, I overheard a gentleman make this comment about President Robert Mugabe. When I asked about all the crippling economic struggles the nation was having (unemployment at 90% and multiple government sectors having gone unpaid for 6 months), he looked at me and said, “Christians should fear the President. This is the only path to peace.” Shocked, I let the conversation drift off.
Peace is an illusion when people are starving to death. Christians have a pivotal prophetic role to play in the midst of such glaring injustice. We can either be on the side of sustenance or starvation. You can’t follow Jesus and cling to a false peace. We were warned about those who would declare peace when there is no peace. As famine approaches in Zimbabwe (nearly a quarter of Zimbabwe’s population are at risk of death), I hope to encourage all that I meet to use their faith to fight for the food they need to survive. In the midst of stunning economic inequalities (President Mugabe rolling around in a new Mercedes and forcing the people to pay for lavish parties), Jesus is for eating more than Jesus is for a false peace. As for the fear piece, government should be afraid of Christians far more than Christians should be afraid of government.
Amen.
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