She said her husband is sleeping with Adaugo, a family friend of theirs, they had no idea she knows, she was contemplating calling Adaugo’s husband but wanted my opinion. I told her to leave the woman to her faith, God will visit her at the appropriate time. Since she is not ready to leave her husband for this, she should not destroy Adaugo’s marriage because of the warning that what God has joined together, let no one put asunder. Two wrongs can never make a right. I told her to confront her husband and threaten him, let him know that she will call Adaugo’s husband if he doesn’t stop. Let her husband tell Adaugo she knows about the affair and let her conscience and the burden of living in fear not knowing if she will tell her husband be her punishment. This took me back so many years ago to what my maternal grandpa told me. HRH Eze Stephen Anyiam Ike, MFR. May your soul continue to rest in peace.

After my youth service, I went to the village to tell my grandfather that I was moving to Lagos. Grandpa who was about 100 years old asked me to sit down beside him, he held my hands and prayed fervently for success and protection. After the prayer I thanked him and was about to walk out of the door when he called me back and asked me to sit down again. He held my hands the second time and looked me straight in the eyes and said “my son, no matter what you do, NEVER SLEEP WITH ANOTHER MAN’S WIFE. He explained that the spiritual implications and repercussions are enormous. He told me that if you sleep with a married woman, you transfer your good fortune to her and absorb her husband’s bad fortunes. He went further to say that bad fortune is not always lack of money, it is usually more of a poor and failing health and bad luck for your children. I asked papa what happens to the the woman and he said her punishment is watching her children suffer all kinds of misfortune. He said because of the magnanimity of the spirits, everyone is allowed one mistake, but it takes penance and serious atonement to be forgiven. It seemed a lot to take in then, but it registered in my subconscious.

The bible confirms the calamity associated with this despicable act in 2 Samuel 11, 12 and 13. God said he gave David power, wealth and many wives and would have given him more if he had asked, there was no mention of God’s displeasure with David’s polygamous household or his keeping concubines, God was angry only because David committed murder and more seriously adultery with Uriah’s wife. Despite the fact that David was a man after God’s heart and in spite of his penance and atonement, God punished him and Bathsheba by killing their son. This portion of the bible has generated so much controversy especially with regards to polygamy and monogamy. This is not the purpose of this reference today, this is about highlighting God’s displeasure in sleeping with another man’s wife and the repercussions of God’s anger on the adulterers and their immediate family.

There is absolutely no need to sleep with another man’s wife, if you must, there are so many single and divorced women, even widows. A woman who lets herself be defiled by another man while still married has not only cheated on her husband, she has cheated on herself, her children and her family. For a man it is a sign of inferiority complex, stealing someone you consider superior to your wife. People have been killed for this, some men may not let it go easily, you don’t know which demon is driving the woman’s husband, it just takes doing it to the wrong person, to a man who doesn’t have a problem killing and your life will be over just because of a woman. David was unarguably one of the most loved and favoured people in the bible, yet that did not stop God from punishing him for sleeping with Uriah’s wife. We should always bear this in mind as we go through life. You will probably be tempted once in a while, remember David and Bathsheba and what they suffered for the same crime. If you have previously committed this sin, repent and pray fervently that the Grace of God and the remission of our sins which HE promised us through the death of HIS only Son Jesus Christ is fulfilled in our lives. May the assurances of God’s forgiveness be our portion in Jesus name, Amen – Sir Stanley Ekezie

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