Why Magufuli administration misses the point on Government splurge

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Who You Need to Know

We lived in Oxford for three years. I was training for ordination in the Church of England and studying for a degree in Theology at Oxford University. One of the things we noticed while we were there was that, compared to London, Oxford seemed to be relatively non-materialistic. People, on the whole, were not impressed by wealth. Success was measured differently.
The people in Oxford tended to be more impressed by brains than by money or beauty. Success was measured in starred firsts, distinctions, PhDs, professorships and published works. It made me wonder whether intelligence and ‘knowledge’ could be as much a false god as money and wealth.
Knowledge is, on the whole, good. The facts are your friends. Education is good – reading, learning and discovering are all good activities. However, as Lord Byron wrote, ‘The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life.’ We need to see ‘knowledge’ in perspective. Our knowledge is very limited. The more we know, the more we realise how little we know. God is our creator and he alone knows everything.
There are also different types of knowledge, and they are not all equally valuable. In French, there are two different words for ‘to know’. One (savoir) means to know a fact, the other (connaître) means to know a person. God is more interested in us knowing people than facts. The most important knowledge of all is knowing God and being known by him. Even this is not the end though. It is never enough simply to have knowledge – you must also have love.
 
Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:12

Seek knowledge but know its limitations

Wisdom and knowledge go hand in hand in the book of Ecclesiastes. Wisdom and knowledge are basically good things:
‘Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun’ (7:11).
‘Wisdom puts more strength in one wise person than ten strong men give to a city’ (v.19, MSG).
‘There’s nothing better than being wise,
Knowing how to interpret the meaning of life.
Wisdom puts light in the eyes,
And gives gentleness to words and manners’ (8:1, MSG).
An example of wisdom is that wise people keep their temper under control: ‘Don’t be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs’ (7:9, MSG).
But, the writer of Ecclesiastes recognises the limits of wisdom and knowledge. First, however much wisdom and knowledge we have, we cannot really discover anything about the future (v.14). Second, there is a danger in being ‘over-wise’. It is possible to have an unhealthy appetite for knowledge that is divorced from God, and so becomes a form of pride:
‘When I determined to load up on wisdom and examine everything taking place on earth, I realised that if you keep your eyes open day and night without even blinking, you’ll still never figure out the meaning of what God is doing on this earth. Search as hard as you like, you’re not going to make sense of it. No matter how smart you are, you won’t get to the bottom of it’ (vv.16–17, MSG).
However wise, rich and powerful a person may be, ‘no one has power over when death comes’ (v.8). ‘Life leads to death. That’s it’ (9:3, MSG). We never know when our lives will end. ‘People do not know when their hour will come’ (v.12).
God alone knows everything. In comparison to him our wisdom and knowledge is very limited. Ultimately we are ‘in God’s hands’ (9:1). We should enjoy life and make the most of our time here. Seize life!... God takes pleasure in your pleasure!... Relish life with the spouse you love each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God’s gift... Make the most of each one!’ (vv.7,9, MSG).
‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might’ (v.10a). Don’t waste your life, make the most of every moment and opportunity.
Jesus said, ‘This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent’ (John 17:3). This is the most important knowledge you can ever have. It starts now and goes on into eternity. This knowledge puts every other kind of knowledge in the right perspective.

Lord, thank you that knowing you is the beginning of wisdom. Help me to make the most of every opportunity in life – to do whatever I do with all my might. And help me to do it all in love.

Pippa Adds

Psalm 95:5
‘The sea is his, for he made it...’
I have a healthy respect (bordering on fear) for the sea. Whenever I am in a boat or swimming in the sea, I say this verse to myself.



Verse of the Day

‘Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up’ (1 Corinthians 8:1b).
 
The Night with a Mosquito

History is in many ways a story of influence. Leadership is about influence. Everyone influences someone. Therefore, in a sense, everyone is a leader. Sociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual will influence 10,000 other people during his or her lifetime. We all influence one another in all sorts of ways – from what to have for lunch and what films to watch, to more important matters of truth and ethics.
My life has been influenced by so many people – my parents, teachers, friends and family. Just as I have been influenced by others, inevitably what I do and say will influence others for good or ill.
As the African proverb puts it, ‘If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent the night with a mosquito.’ The mosquito makes a difference in an annoying way, but the principle is the same. One person can stop a great injustice. One person can be a voice for truth. One person’s kindness can save a life. Each person matters.
How can you maximise your influence and use that influence for good?
 
Ecclesiastes 9:13-12:14

To plant good seeds

Solomon is very aware of the power of influence. This influence can be for good or evil.
One wise person can save a city (9:13–18a). On the other hand, ‘one sinner destroys much good’ (v.18b). Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot are glaring examples of this principle. One human being can use their influence for evil and cause great harm.
But, the influence does not have to be as great as these tyrants in order to have a bad effect: ‘Dead flies in perfume make it stink, and a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom’ (10:1, MSG). If even a dead fly can have a bad influence, the least influential human being can have an influence for evil or good. We can all be the fly in the ointment!
The writer has much to say about how to be a good influence, rather than a bad one:

Watch your words
Solomon reminds us that ‘words from the mouth of the wise are gracious’ (v.12a). Respond to hot-tempered words with calmness (v.4).

Avoid gossiping and bad-mouthing your leaders. Be careful what you say or even think. Don’t revile people ‘even in your thoughts’ or curse them ‘in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say’ (v.20).

Take risks
To maximise your influence for good you need to take risks. ‘Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns. Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around. Be a blessing to others’ (11:1–2, MSG). In other words, he says ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

If we are too cautious we will never achieve anything. ‘Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap’ (v.4). We could apply this principle to church planting. It will require risk and determination. We must not be daunted by seemingly insuperable obstacles. We must not be put off due to ‘wind’ and ‘clouds’.

Spread your efforts
In order to maximise influence, you might have to juggle different opportunities in your life: ‘Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed’ (v.6).

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Press ahead on all fronts and make the most of every opportunity. This is why as a church we try to sow seeds in every direction – through worship, prayer, leadership, discipleship, theological training, social transformation, evangelism, work in the prisons and with the poor and the marginalised.

Take your opportunities
Life is short. Don’t waste time worrying. ‘… banish anxiety from your heart…’ (11:10). Your opportunities are limited: ‘Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted. Take delight in each light-filled hour... You who are young, make the most of your youth’ (vv.8a,9, MSG).

The book finishes with a conclusion to all its searching and questioning. The meaning of life ultimately rests in your relationship with God. Revere him and keep his commandments. This is the whole duty for every person (12:13b).

Lord, help me to revere you and keep your commandments. Help me to use my influence for good and not for evil. Help me to make the most of every opportunity that you have put before me.

Pippa Adds

Ecclesiastes 12:12
‘Of the making of books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.’
What a prophetic statement! Had Solomon any idea how many books would be written on every subject over the years? There are so many beautiful, inspiring books, but plenty of others less so. I had some sympathy many years ago when helping one of our children with their reading homework. They complained, ‘I don't like books. They have words in them’!



Verse of the Day

‘… banish anxiety from your heart…’ (Ecclesiastes 11:10).
 
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