Be Careful Who Extends Their Hand to You

Have you ever heard the saying, “All money isn’t good money,” or “All that glitters isn’t gold”?
These are more than just old proverbs—they are warnings, wrapped in wisdom, meant to remind us that everything that looks like help is not rooted in good intentions.

Sometimes, a hand extended to help is actually bait.

Whether it’s a friendship, a partnership, a job offer, or a business opportunity—pause and ask the deeper questions:
Who truly benefits from this connection?
What is the cost of my “yes”?
And will this opportunity build me—or bleed me?

There’s a powerful moment in the film about the legendary Zulu king and warlord, Shaka Zulu. He confronts a man pretending to be an ally and asks, “How do you trap a monkey?”
The man stumbles for an answer.
Shaka replies, “You give him something shiny.”

Let that sit.

We must be careful not to be trapped by things that sparkle. What looks like a blessing can be a beautifully wrapped burden. What looks like gold may turn out to be fool’s gold. Not everything sent your way is meant for your growth. Some things come to delay you, distract you, or worse—destroy you.

In our hunger to elevate, to do more, be more, and have more, we can sometimes overlook the red flags hidden beneath the glitter. We chase what we think is our breakthrough, only to realize we’ve walked into a cleverly disguised trap.

Let’s not chase illusions. Let’s not settle for crumbs because we’re desperate for a feast. Let’s work for our position. Let’s listen to our intuition. Let’s be aware of our surroundings, our spirit, and the energy that enters our space.

And let’s never forget—that wasn’t Grandma in the bed when Little Red Riding Hood came to visit. The wolf was dressed in comfort. But his teeth told the truth.

Stay alert. Stay grounded. Be slow to accept, and quick to discern. Because not every extended hand is here to lift you. Some are simply reaching for what you have.