God is not our nanny

nger, inflation and deprivation etc – are because God is teaching us a lesson.
His reasoning goes like this: Remember when we first became independent in 1980? Everything worked, we were prosperous, hospitals were full of drugs, we had a working economy with plenty of jobs, plenty of bread. Smartly clothed children attended schools all over the country. We had a police force to be proud of, clean water came out every time one turned the tap on. When one needed electricity all one had to do was flip the switch.
At weekends or after work we used to go down to the pub and order a round of drinks – several times a week. Food was plentiful, supermarket shelves were full and above all, we had the money to buy what was offered for sale. We were the envy of the whole region.
Meanwhile, our neighbours were suffering. South Africans sweated under the yoke of apartheid. Mozambique was at war – its infrastructure pulverised by the Rhodesian and South African armies in pursuit of “terrorists”. Zambia and Malawi were basket cases – their kwacha currency a joke. Mozambicans and Malawians were our domestic workers and farm labourers. Zimbabweans did not do dirty work. We looked down on them. Most Zambians were seen as potential poachers, a nuisance to our booming tourism industry. Tourists were everywhere.
Mugabe was revered. He was forever on TV – being filmed on one international stage or the other, giving speeches, accepting honorary degrees and awards – we were so proud of him!
While Blacks in S A were down-trodden, we didn’t have to call any white man Baas. We were Zimbabweans. Our currency was strong. You even got R2 for one Zim dollar. We were riding high.
“But God was not pleased,” intoned Mujubheki in a sonorous, preacher-like tone.
“My friend, we forgot that pride goes before a fall,” he declared. “And now, you see …”
I suddenly realised that he had put his finger on a very serious problem. Of course he is wrong. But I wonder just how many Zimbabweans agree with him? Perhaps this defeatist attitude is responsible for our failure to stand up and get rid of the thievocracy stealing our lives, our country and children’s future.
I disagree completely with Mujubheki’s fatalistic attitude. Our problems are caused by human greed and the thieving of evil men from Zanu (PF). We can’t blame God for that. He had nothing to do with it.
In fact, if you want to blame somebody, blame the devil. I tried to persuade Mujubheki that there is no way it can be part of God’s plan to see people suffering the way Zimbabweans have been suffering this past six years and more.
God does not punish mothers by forcing them their kids starve to death while they look on helplessly. God does not punish fathers by making it impossible for them to earn a living to care for their families. God does not punish children by making it impossible for them to go to school or to live normal lives, laughing and playing like normal children.
Blaming God is just a cop out. It gives people a nice, holy-sounding excuse for not doing anything. For not standing up for what is rightfully ours. We must get rid of this mind-set. God gave each one of us free will and a brain to use. Just like he put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and told them to look after it. We are supposed to live our lives, using the gifts He has given us. God is not our nanny. We have to stand up for ourselves.
I worry about Mujubheki. But I worry even more that there are many Zimbabweans out there who think like him.