Zimpapers Logo

AS we mark the country’s 35th independence anniversary on April 18, we wish to thank God and the founding fathers of the nation for the gallant struggle that they undertook to bring independence to the country.

It is because of their sacrifices which included leaving their families and daily lives behind to ensure that we enjoy a free Zimbabwe.

May I encourage all Zimbabweans during this period to foster a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude to those who sacrificed and in some cases lost their lives that we may enjoy freedom, rather than focus on unmet expectations.

The founding fathers have left us a legacy of freedom and sovereignty. As the generation that are the first recipients of this freedom, having lived through the first 35 years of independence, what legacy are we going to leave for our posterity?

Genesis 17 v 5-9

Neither shall your name anymore be called Abram. For I have made you a father of many nations.

And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and your seed after you.

And I will give you the land in which you are a stranger, and to your seed after you.

And I will give the land to you and the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God.

And God said to Abraham, and I shall keep my covenant, you and your seed after you in their generation.

Proverbs 13 v 22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his sons’ sons and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

Deuteronomy 7 v 9

Therefore know that Jehovah your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.

The founding men and women were able to pursue their cause and succeed because they chose to and dared to be different while they were at it.

Choosing to take the road less travelled by their compatriots, they extricated themselves from the common place, the mundane, the ordinary, refusing to be satisfied with the status quo they rose above the average men and women of their time.

They differentiated and distinguished themselves. Being distinguished is to have an appearance that makes people admire and respect you, whilst differentiation is to show or demonstrate that two things are different.

This is not a new concept as we can find scriptural precedence of men and women who rose above the ordinary, distinguished and differentiated themselves.

These individuals possessed certain qualities and one of these was the ability to understand God’s heart. It is essential for believers to understand God’s agenda for their personal lives and their generation.

Great men and women that were used by God not only understood this principle but spent their lives building Godly legacies. A weakness in our generation is that we do not think too deeply of the future or our future generations.

Yet God places a premium on posterity and as a result the word of God is filled with genealogies as He stresses the point. I have often wondered what the significance of endless genealogies in the scriptures was until I developed a full appreciation of the value God places on posterity, heritage and legacy.

Living in a world that glorifies instant gratification, revelling in the pleasure of the moment and paying little heed to future generations has robbed us of a full understanding and importance of posterity and legacy building.

The modern Pentecostal church has not assisted in this regard as it has indoctrinated the saints to believe and pray for short term blessings for themselves without a thought for their posterity.

Yet when God blessed Abraham and cut a covenant with him the accruing blessing and covenant were for Abraham and his generations. God promises to bless those who love Him to a thousand generations. When praying for ourselves we should not forget to pray for our future generations. Young people should not think that they are exempt from this as they too may also have children and families in the future.

Admonition abounds in the Holy Scriptures about being mindful of our posterity. I quote for the purposes of this article a few examples.

Solomon in the Proverbs states that a good man leaves an inheritance for his sons’ sons, King Lemuel in Proverbs 31 speaks of a virtuous woman whose children rise up and call her blessed as a result of a Godly legacy that she presumably has created.

Jesus in the New Testament is called the Son of David, the son of Abraham not a descendant of David yet there are 28 generations between David and Jesus. The genealogy in Matthew links Jesus directly to David. What is the significance and importance of this?

Blessings or curses can be transmitted through legacy or heritage. Positive or negative destinies can be shaped through an appreciation of legacy or lack of it.

Legacies are handed down from one period of time to another and as has already been alluded to these legacies can be positive or negative. The things that countries, organisations or individuals do today will be considered in the future as legacies from the 21st century.

The question that begs an answer is, what legacies will we be remembered for as the generation that ushered in independence to Zimbabwe? How will history judge the church, captains of industry, custodians of our culture, politicians when the legacy of 21st century Zimbabwe is reviewed?

When we look at the current state of the church and the nation will we be remembered in glowing terms or will a dark shadow be cast over our performance?

Legacy should not be confused with inheritance or heritage. Heritage is economic or material substance that is passed on to the next generation, whereas legacy is immaterial.

Legacy can be spiritual and cultural transferences from one generation to another. Zimbabweans being extremely materialistic by nature will obviously leave great inheritance to their posterity. However, much work will be necessary for us to leave a tangible legacy worth talking about.

In the scriptures Abraham the founding father of the Jewish nations leaves a legacy of blessing and an everlasting covenant of favour to his posterity. King David creates a Godly legacy despite his failing (murdering Uriah for his wife Bathsheba).

Because of this legacy, David’s posterity is guaranteed a position on the throne of Israel for many generations. When Jeraboam a great grandson of David commits grievous transgressions in the sight of God he is forgiven and spared for David’s sake – 1 Kings 15:3-5, though this is many generations later. A Godly legacy creates goodwill for future generations.

Evil legacies with equally disastrous consequences can also be built. Queen Jezebel the wicked wife of King Ahab had no respect for God or authority figures, in the process causing the great prophet Elijah to flee from her in terror to seek refuge in a cave. Because of the error of her ways and the legacy she inadvertently created she caused all her descendants to be slain by the sword. Friends, relatives and associates were all included in the destruction – 2 Kings 10:10-11.

A great responsibility rests on us all to create legacies that will bring blessings to a thousand generations. Without trivialising the magnitude of the national situation that we find ourselves in (there are other issues that may need different solutions, as what I am about to discuss may not be the panacea for all our problems), I would like to encourage us to build Godly legacies by observing a few simple principles.

• Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and body be wholly dedicated to Him. Remember you do not only love God for yourself, you love Him for your posterity.
• Pray prayers that will echo into the future, moulding and shaping the destinies of your offspring. Endeavour to raise Godly children.
• Give freely of your time and resources with the realisation that your giving does not only accrue to your account, but can affect your posterity. King David gave on a grand scale such that he accumulated multi-generational wealth. This wealth was used to establish Solomon as King. Solomon’s success could be attributed to the fact that he figuratively stood on his father’s shoulders. Give your children a head start by giving generously in your lifetime and don’t allow the poverty that has plagued your life to also hound your children.
• Engage in acts of social responsibility. Be selfless and invest in others. Be a catalyst for change, open your heart and mind and think about others instead of thinking of yourself only. Look around and you will realise how much our society needs selfless people — the orphans, the aged, the infirm and the needy. The City of Bulawayo also needs individuals and companies who can work together to create a clean, beautiful, thriving, prosperous Bulawayo.
• Invest in Christian ministry. Ministry is not limited to leaving your secular employment and going into full time preaching. Ministry is serving God wherever you may be. In the market place, jobs, businesses, institutions of higher learning, homes and in the community in general.

Let us stop focusing on unmet expectations only and find ways to leave a Godly legacy for future generations.