By Olubunmi Adebayo
*A curious Socio-dimensional research has shown that bright and brilliant people do die early.*
*Yes, great minds are generally seen as being there to compete with others. And this goes a long way to expose them to a lot of dangers and evil.*
*Without any controversy, bright stars among men do draw adversaries. Just consider this :*
*Matthew 2:[1] Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,*
*[2] Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.*
*[3] When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.*
*True, bright and brilliant people are seen as smarter and better than others while considering people for promotion, high offices or positions.*
*Go and consider organizational team playing, the bright and brilliant are generally seen as threats by the majority of other people.*
*An old woman once asked “why do the brightest die early?”*
*Even the Bible has its own collection of sharp, brilliant and gifted people whose lives were cut short through early exit.*
*If you don’t believe the observation above, maybe you can come up with reasons why the likes of Abel, the second son of Adam and Eve, die very early in life.*
*Let us look at the example of Abel in some details :*
*1) ABEL (Gen 4) : Without any controversy whatsoever, Abel was bright, promising, and a lover of God.*
*He understood thanksgiving, worship and appreciation to God in its best positive context.*
*n fact, Abel brought “fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock” and God “looked down with eyes of favour” on his offering.*
*Compare his bright and promising side of life and future with that of Cain : Abel showed spiritual foresight, insight and sincerity of purpose to God.*
*Yet,he died quite early in the journey of life,murdered by no less a person but his blood brother – Cain.*
*We were never told that Abel got married, or had kids,etc. Even Jesus called him “righteous Abel” :*
*Matthew 23: [35]That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.*
*Yet, he died quite early in life.*
*2) _JOSIAH_ : 2 Kings 22-23. In the history of the kings of the land of Judah, Josiah was regarded as very brilliant and bright.*
*2 Kings 22: [1] Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.*
*[2]And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.*
*He became king at the age of 8. At the age of 26, he led the biggest spiritual reform in Judah’s history – he found the Book of the Law and immediately reordered the nation around it. A man of discernment, courage and purpose.*
*Yet, he died quite early – Killed at the age of 39 in the Battle of Megiddo.*
*The Bible says “never before had there been a king like him”, so his death was seen as a national tragedy, this was because of his brightness and that he died quite early.*
*To be continued tomorrow, God willing.*
Top of the day to you 👍.
©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo.
