Calculated silence

Once upon a time…a tribe was on the verge of being wiped out completely. Thing is, there once lived a great king who ruled over a powerful kingdom. The king, having been heartbroken by his first love, decided to take another queen. After all, what is a great king without a queen by his side to help him rule over a powerful kingdom? Like who is a king if he doesn’t have a beautiful woman making him look good, no?

Word was sent out about the king’s desire. Maidens from far and wide lined up to be picked for this once in a life time opportunity. Only a few of them would be chosen to be intricately trained and later on one of them would be crowned as the new queen.

Among them was a young lady, an outsider and one who no one thought would capture the king’s attention. The lesser known, without a grand family name, you know? How influential would her be by a king’s side? So they looked down on her, believing she stood no chance.

Nevertheless, she was strikingly beautiful, tall, and curvaceous in the right places but even so she needed to be trained in the ways of royalty. On the command and advice of her village uncle, she kept her true identity to herself all through the training period.

Meanwhile in the shadows, away from the eyes and ears of the king, an evil scheme was being laid to kill one of the tribes in the land-the outsiders. The out siders had no right to live among the citizens. They had no rights to work in the farms and enjoy the fruits of the earth as freely as they did. They refused to worship the gods of the land, how disrespectful? They had to be exterminated as the worthless beings they were. The king had to be informed immediately so that he would decree their end.

Back in the palace months of training, beautification and coaching had come and gone. Beautiful maidens had been presented to the king yet none so far had captivated his heart. He was growing doubtful of this method of picking a mate until it her turn came to be presented before him. She who had kept her identity a mystery. He was love struck by her beauty as soon as she was in his presence. It was not just her beauty that caught his attention but the sense of warmth, confidence and gentle kindness she exuded. She was intelligent and their afternoon tea date in the garden left him confident that any kingdom would be blessed indeed to have her as its queen. Staring at her he could not help wondering what honor it would be for any man to have her as his wife. And he could wait to be such a man. She worn his favor. He placed the royal crown on her head, marking her as his wife and queen. Unknown to him though, she was an outsider. She was from the tribe that he had been advised to wipe out.

Back in the shadows the enemy of her people was overworking. During a lunch with the king he had convinced him of the right action to take against the people who had refused to kneel down and worship the gods of the land. He had erected a tall pole where the murders were to be carried out. Everything was in place, he assured his highness.

Word was spread, it was time for the outsiders, and those who refused to worship the gods to be eliminated.

The queen, having heard of the plan to exterminate her tribesmen was indeed troubled. It was her time to act. She and her village uncle came up with a plan.

She instructed her royal helpers to prepare a lavish banquet for her and the king. To the banquet she also invited the enemy of her people as the guest of honor.

The King, being so happy with the queen’s banquet asked her “My love, what can I do for you? Name whatever you want and I shall make sure that you have your heart’s desire”

“If it pleases you my lord” she said “I pray that you spare my life”. These words were spoken silently and in sorrow.

“What are you talking about?” the king said in shock. “What do you mean?”

“My people and I shall be killed at your order” she said, now sobbing. “If only we had been sold as slaves, I could not bring such disturbance to you my lord. But you have been misled my love. Those around you have…” she broke down further.

“Who is that person who wants you dead?” the king inquired, now pissed off. “Show me this man who wants my beloved dead”

“It is him” the queen said pointing at Haman “Him my lord. He has advised you to kill my people”

The King got up from his rage and stormed out heading to the palace gardens. He needed to think and he had to calm down.

Haman who was now afraid for his life, decided to beg the queen to spare his life. Just as he was falling down in front of the queen, the king entered the room and was afraid that Haman had decided to harm his queen.

“Will you now rape my queen in this very palace?!” exclaimed the king in fury “Have you no shame left?” He ordered that Haman be impaled on the same pole he had erected for the queen’s uncle.

The king gave another decree that sort to spare and protect the lives of the queen’s people.

By silence, Esther saved her people. It is Esther’s calculated silence about her identity, patience and knowing when to speak that saved thousands Jews.

Silence about who she was, her knowledge of the enemy’s plans and the precision with which she used that knowledge to her advantage that makes her story relevant even today.

What are words to you? How have you been using them? Do you speak so much, giving so much of yourself away that you make it so easy for your enemies to attack you? Do you use the information you have to bring your own down fall?

Sometimes your own name, your origin, your tribe, academic qualifications or even your ancestry could be your own undoing. Don’t be quick to announce yourself before knowing what stakes have been set against you.

Don’t let your words ruin chances for you. Don’t announce your plans to the people around you. Not every person smiling with you is for you. Some people are planning your down fall, they have even mobilized others into hating you, they hate you in secret yet cover that hate with kind words and smiles.

Your enemies will show up at your parties, at your important events and take part in your life defining moments knowing well that they plan your assassination the following days.

Your enemies are using the element of calculated silence to their advantage, you should do.

Keep quiet about your plans.

Keep quiet about the business you plan to start in a couple of months.

Keep quiet about that job interview.

Keep quiet about that trip scheduled for next week.

Keep quiet about the performance of your kids.

Keep quiet about your love life.

Keep quiet about your investments.

Zip those lips, wait, its always good to have the element of surprise in your corner.