Need For Leadership That Can

Part 1 of a 10 Part Series by Rev Kurauone Mutimwi

Mathew 14:16 

But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

Mark 6:33 

But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him.

6:34 And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

6:35 When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.

6:36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat.”

6:37 But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

6:38 But He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”

*The Death of Hope in People* 

Verse 33

People in Zimbabwe are so desperate, doing about anything by any means to find answers and remedies to their problems. 

When we hear how some end up in scandals, in diaspora, in church and in very embarrassing situations, it is because they are in desperate quest for meaning. 

Their lives, labours, and faith are not making sense to their humanity and there is inadequacy to address their fears, frustrations and disappointments.

*Address the crisis of leadership*

Verses 33-34

When Jesus Christ looked at the people who were flocking him, something in Him prompted him to say they were like Sheep without a Shepherd. 

I wonder what exactly he discerned and saw in the people that made him cry out about their inward voidness and their need for leadership. 

Maybe He saw in them the their quest for meaning, purpose of existence, unanswered questions about their humanity, unattainable collective aspirations, their motivation drought starving souls, lack of unifying factor and their deep need for a hero to rally around who could reignite their hope and dispel their fears. 

Somehow, isn't it interesting to see that people have always been sheep who do not pretend not to need leadership, who trust in leaders and their protection, who never hide their vulnerability and unlike the Shepherds, they have never let down on their part of being Sheep. 

It is the space of Leadership from the  Shepherd aspect which is the one always found wanting in delivery. 

The Scripture laments about bad shepherds who kills, fleece and like hirelings abandon the Sheep. 

It talks of great good Shepherds who protected and fed the Sheep or flock of God. 

The Bible challenged Prophets, Pastors, Kings and Leaders to be like Shepherds in their Leadership character as epitomed in Psalm 23 and the person of Jesus Christ.

People in Zimbabwe are now like Sheep without Shepherds, wandering aimlessly in the domains of politics, economy and spirituality. 

Politics has failed dismally to provide leadership because it has become the biggest culprit in dehumanizing them, exploiting them, scuttling their aspirations, polarizing their societies and turning them against each other. 

To them politics is no longer a solution but a cardinal accomplice to their perennial human problem such that the candidature of politics as a proffer for leadership is heavily marred with mistrust. 

Economics, failed as well to provide leadership that empowers people because it has been the key agent through which people were dis-empowered, dispossessed, disenfranchised and miserably leeched of their sweat, resources and skills. 

It was through it that greed acquisitiveness and selfish consumerism, were fully charged and energized to evaporate every droplet of compassion and generosity from people. 

Economics is so corrupted with inequity and injustice such that morally it cannot provide meaningful and sincere leadership to the people. 

There is need for the Church to provide such leadership but yet still the Church is failing to measure up to the delivery of transforming leadership to the people. 

The Church is so self conflicted in its spirituality and perception of the world around it such that it cannot manifest itself as one front, and much more like a Church one with Christ, in its expression of faith and stewardship to the world. 

That alone amounts much to the deep crisis of Leadership. 

There is need for Shepherd leadership because Zimbabwe is now a nation without compassionate leadership and as such her people are wandering purposelessly like stray sheep. 

They yearn for leaders, who can inspire and empower them spiritually, politically, and economically on issues of justice, hope, equity, and equality so that they can stand up for themselves and purposefully walk determinantly towards their collective aspirations.

*Rev Kurauone Mutimwi is based at Masvingo Uniting Presbyterian Church.