King Hezekiah was one of the great kings of Judah.
After having a close shave with death, he decided to throw a party and celebrate with his countrymen.
In his joy, he called the kings of the neighbouring kingdoms and proceeded to give them a tour of his palace.
He showed them his defence strategies, the strength of his military and even his royal treasury.
The visitors were so impressed. As soon as they arrived in their kingdom, they began to secretly desire his own.
In the fullness of time, King Hezekiah died and his great-grandson succeeded him as King.
These visitors saw this moment as a perfect opportunity.
They came back with a wave of unmatched anger, killed the new king and enslaved the entire country.
WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?
This I can't say.
But I do know that bad things can happen when good people don't keep their tongues in check.
In your moments of weakness, don't be too loose to attract a serpent into your house.
I understand. Your heart was heavy, you felt betrayed and you needed someone to talk to.
But mind you that words are like bullets. When shot, they never return.
"Blessing! My Lovely Blessing! How are you? Hope he is treating you well…"
Alas! Your fortress has been broken. You've found a confidant, or so your mountain of grief would lead you to believe.
"THAT USELESS MAN? Somebody that cannot even..."
In a few minutes, you've laid open the secrets that should be said behind closed doors.
In no time, third parties have the keys to your fortress.
Those your confidants will soon tell their confidants about your troubles and your secret sins.
In the fullness of time, the enemy will besiege your city and enslave you.
Does this mean that you should be hard-hearted?
Yes and No.
I'm not asking you to go through your challenges alone.
We all need support systems.
I'm asking you to VET those support systems.
Investigate their motives, track records and even the possibility of ties to a foreign enemy.
In the meantime, learn Emotional Intelligence.
Not every problem you have should be shared on the streets of social media.
Sit in silence and write in the sand for a while.
So that when onlookers come to know your secrets and plan an ambush,
They will be caught dead in their traps.
- Emmanuel Nwaka.