By Charles T.M.J. Dube

SOMETIME last week, I had a general chat with a Christian brother on the purpose of life.
My position was that we were created to serve and love, and, as such, our prosperity as individuals and/or groups is supposed to derive from our fulfilling this life objective.
A corollary to this principle would be that we are blessed so as to be a blessing to others.
If you go into business, you are supposed to make a difference in other peoples’ lives and your getting rich should only be subordinate to pursuing the public or community interest in your business.
That would equally apply to serving in whatever professional and unskilled capacity.
This is not to discount the relevance of self-interest, but just that self-interest should be guided and subordinate to public interest.
In this regard, the highest form of service becomes taking up arms to die for the good of others, like what happened during the First and Second Chimurenga.
It was the brother’s contention that one should pursue self-interest in a righteous manner and others would learn from watching a successful role model.
This view derives from capitalist ethics, which are not in line with the Christian and African Traditional Religious (ATR) doctrines where love and sacrifice remain central.
In his seminal work, Background of An Enquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith, the Scottish moral philosopher considered father of the discipline of economics, contends: “All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of masters of mankind.”
Is it not ironic, that despite his belief in the role of individual choices, leading to the coincidence of wants and trade, he is able to recognise this shortcoming of greed and self-interest.
While by his concept of the invisible hand, he contends that individuals pursuing self-interest will eventually meet the public interest and even rationalise distribution through the same invisible hand, it should be noted, however, that in coming up with this concept, he had in mind more of a choice between support for domestic vis-a-vis the external production (imports) and not the general usage that has since been expanded by neo-classical economics to cover all economic choices.
He also applauded division of labour as the springboard to the wealth of nations.
Christianity commends that we be Christ-like, and what did Christ do?
He gave his life for others.
Paul puts it more succinctly when he writes: “Meanwhile these three remain: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.”
In the same vein, Paul also writes: “Each of you should look not only to your interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Like I have contended, even if we adopt other religions like Christianity, we do not forget who we are – a people with a culture of their own and proud of who they are.
In our culture, hurudza (good farmer) was always a blessing to his community and an insurance against hunger for the whole community who would travel great distances kundoshuzha.
Likewise, a prosperous livestock farmer aironzesa (lent his extra herd to those without).
We are all endowed with differing attributes, skills and dispositions and these are all handy to the ‘whole’ if they are recognised, motivated and harnessed for the good of all.
It is even handier if the individual recognises his attributes and goes all out to exploit them for this total good.
I am reminded of my paternal grandfather’s brother, vaMatshovha.
In the village nhimbe, when one of the villagers invited others to come and work communally to accomplish a task, he was not known to wield a hoe, or thrashing rod (mupuro) if it was a small-grain threshing and winnowing task.
He was a good singer and comedian, and he could be singing and whistling with motivational utterances as the others with a passion to work regained massive energy to accomplish.
He entertained, while the others produced; and so is the role of artistes in society today.
He was certainly not good for nothing, but played his own part in the village’s productivity through art.
What am I driving at here?
Pursue your passion and know that it is your gift for the good of us all.
Sekuru vangu vaMatshovha vaiva vasingabati badza, but vaiita kuti basa rifambe through singing and praises.
What role are you playing for the betterment of your society?
What gaps have you noticed around you and what are you doing about these gaps.
Our country is as good as we apply ourselves.
What have you done, are doing or plan to do to contribute to the good standard of living which you so much cherish?
Go ahead and do it with service in mind.
You have a role to play and have all it takes to contribute to national development and reconstruction in your own way.
Is it not true that once in a while the village bully comes in handy for his kith and kin?
Take stock of your strong points and go ahead and serve your country.
Charles T.M.J. Dube is a Development Economist and Social Scientist.