No forgiveness without restitution

Published in The Standard, Sunday, 10 April 2011 16:30

We have often shared the message that forgiveness is guaranteed. Which means that whatever we do, we will be forgiven. Is this true? The Bible does not support such a position. Jeremiah (14) talks about the Lord refusing to forgive the people because they were not just and promising them drought, famine and sword.

As a people, Zimbabweans stand rebuked for the injustices that have gone on for the last 10 years or so. We have as a nation gone on a spree, disinheriting people, grabbing their lifetime savings, chasing them from their homes and so forth. We have treated this as normal. Isn’t this true?

Those of us who are feeling comfortable feasting and supping at other people’s sweat should feel ashamed. There is no way one can feel really blessed by staying in a house you never contributed to build. A curse hovers around our heads. We have sinned and should seek justice soon.

There is no amount of prayer and pleading for forgiveness which is going to persuade God to forgive us without correcting the mistakes we made. African religion has a strong point on this one. The Shona say kugona ngozi huiripa — meaning one is only freed when they have done a restitution. You have to return what you have grabbed, full stop. Soothing each other by turning to religion for forgiveness will not correct the wrong done.

If one has a credit to settle with a credit shop, one has to settle it. Turning to God so that the credit is settled through forgiveness is fantasy. Give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar and to the credit shop what belongs to it. Let us not be dismayed when we do not feel satisfied. It is because we have been cruel and greedy.
As a result of our misdemeanours, there is a lot of corruption. We act like we are possessed by a demon that makes other people suffer.

We see this across the political divide. At their rallies they call for the demise of others. Is politics about destroying others or it is about smart competition? Should it be so dirty?

Rev Dr Levee Kadenge