Guarding the Fortress: A South African Heart for a Divided World
My name is Harold Mawela. I write to you from my home in Akasia, on the northern edge of Pretoria. From here, I can see the sprawling settlements and hear the rumble of our nation’s soul—a soul engaged in a profound and constant struggle for its very heart. The ancient Proverb warns us that “above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” [Proverbs 4:23]. But how, in our complex and fractured South Africa, do we garrison this inner fortress against the infiltrators of the spirit that besiege it daily? This is no mere metaphor for quiet living; it is the essential, frontline spiritual warfare of our time.
The Corrupted Blueprint: When a Nation's Heart is Divided
Picture, if you will, a grand architectural blueprint for a mighty, unified fortress. This was the design God intended for our nation—a place of refuge, strength, and communal life. Yet, we know too well what happens when that blueprint is corrupted by flawed philosophy. For decades, a twisted form of theology was used to justify dividing this fortress into separate, unequal compounds. It presented a version of the faith that was “more cultural than Christian,” baptising political ideology with a few drops of Scripture to serve an oppressive system . This was not merely a political error; it was a theological heresy—a profound poisoning of the communal well from which our people were forced to drink.
The legacy of this poisoned blueprint is the foundational crack in our society that we are all trying to repair today. It has created a deep-seated scepticism, a woundedness that makes many hesitant to trust any claim of absolute truth, even God’s. We must sound the alarm: any theology that does not lead to liberation, reconciliation, and the profound dignity of every image-bearer of God is a “state theology” that has lost its prophetic soul . It is an infiltrator in the fortress of the national heart, and it must be dismantled with biblical precision.
The Infiltrators at Our Gate
In my own neighbourhood of Akasia, I witness a living parable of this ongoing struggle. Just recently, our municipality moved to relocate families from an informal settlement. Yet, in a decision that chilled the soul, it was announced that only South African citizens would be rehoused. Over two hundred immigrant families—our brothers and sisters from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho—were told they would be excluded, left to wonder, “Where will my family and I go?” . This is not just a policy failure; it is a spiritual failure. The infiltrators of fear, xenophobia, and a narrowed, nationalistic love have breached the gate.
This is the daily battle for the fortress of the heart. The infiltrators are subtle and relentless:
· The Greed of “Mine Alone”: In a nation grappling with deep inequality, the whisper that says my security depends on hoarding, on excluding, on building my own wall higher.
· The Envy of “Their Portion”: The bitterness that festers when we compare our lot with others’, fueling division rather than shared struggle.
· The Offense of “The Other”: The quick judgement that allows us to dehumanise our neighbour—be they of another race, nationality, or economic class—and thus justify their exclusion from our circle of compassion.
These poisons are poured into the well through our media consumption, our private conversations, and our unchallenged assumptions. If we do not filter them with the rigorous mesh of God’s Word, they will pollute every calabash of thought we draw from.
The Battle for the Mind: Beyond Sentiment to Sanctified Reason
To guard the heart, we must first garrison the mind. Here, the church in Africa has often wavered between two dangerous ditches, as identified in broader Christian thought: rationalism and anti-intellectualism.
· Rationalism is the proud, Hellenistic-style tower builder who believes he can reason his way to God without revelation, making the mind an idol.
· Anti-intellectualism is the reactive retreat into pure feeling, abandoning the field of ideas and leaving our faith appearing to be a blind, sentimental leap.
Both are fatal. The biblical path—the Hebraic path—is what scholar Dru Johnson calls a “biblical philosophy.” It is not about abstract, linear logic alone, but a pixelated and networked wisdom built through story, law, poetry, and communal practice. It is mysterionist, recognising the limits of our mind before a transcendent God, yet creationist, trusting that God’s good world can be investigated and understood. Most importantly, it is transdemographic—this wisdom is not for an elite class but is available to all who submit to God’s revelation.
Let us apply this reasoning with logical precision:
· Premise 1: A guarded heart requires a renewed mind that can discern truth from falsehood (Romans 12:2).
· Premise 2: The mind is renewed not by worldly philosophy or empty sentiment, but by the truthful, rigorous, and communally-tested wisdom of Scripture.
· Conclusion: Therefore, diligent, thoughtful engagement with the Bible—its narratives, its laws, its poetry—is the non-negotiable foundation for securing the fortress of the heart.
A common objection arises: “Doesn’t this focus on doctrine and intellect lead us back to the cold, justifying theologies of the past?” Not at all! A biblical philosophy is deeply practical and transformative. As the Reformed tradition has long held, true theology is “the doctrine of living unto God”. It is wisdom for the streets of Akasia, for the boardrooms of Sandton, for the healing of our land. We are not called to a blind faith, but to a reasonable faith, one where we are “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).
The Unshakeable Garrison: Christ Our Ancestor, Healer, and King
So, what is the garrison that can withstand every siege? It is a full-orbed, African-encountered Christ. Jesus Christ is not a foreign deity. He is the one in whom the deepest yearnings of the African soul find their fulfilment.
· He is our Great Ancestor (Proto-Ancestor): He has gone before us through the veil of death and lives forever, mediating for us, providing for us, and establishing a kinship more powerful than any tribal lineage.
· He is our Chief Physician (Nanga): In a continent familiar with disease and brokenness, He is the ultimate Healer who addresses not only physical ailments but the spiritual and social sin-sickness that fractures communities.
· He is our Liberator King: He breaks the chains of every oppression—spiritual, political, and economic. He is the King whose rule is characterised by justice, righteousness, and costly love, not corruption and exclusion.
This is the Christ who stands at the gate of your heart. To garrison your heart with His Word is to let His story redefine your story, His kinship redefine your relationships, and His kingdom redefine your loyalties.
A Call to Vigilant Sentries
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, the call is urgent. We must be vigilant sentries in a time of spiritual and social confusion. The recent high-level dialogue in Pretoria on “Re-imagining Democracy in Africa” spoke of democracy as a “universal aspiration” for dignity. This is a noble pursuit, but we know that true, lasting dignity and unity can only be founded on the cornerstone that is Christ.
Guard your heart. Filter every thought, every headline, every political slogan, every whisper of grievance through the mesh of Scripture. Ask: Does this align with the character of Christ my Ancestor? Does this promote the healing of Christ my Physician? Does this advance the liberating justice of Christ my King?
A heart garrisoned by God’s Word becomes an impenetrable fortress of peace. From that secure position, you will not be swayed by the fears of the age. You will be equipped to be a peacemaker, a bridge-builder, a courageous voice of truth in your family, your church, and our beloved, struggling South Africa. What you protect within your heart will determine what prospers in our land.
Stand firm. Guard the gate. The King is on the wall.
https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-fortress-of-the-heart/id1506692775?i=1000743385958
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