There was a man who needed work to be done on his farmland. He approached his first son and said; "Go and work for me on the farm". The boy simply replied; "I will not". The Father approached the second son with the same request. The second son said; " I will ". Interestingly, the first son went, while the second son didn't go. You can read it up in Matt 21:28-32 because that's not where I'm going. I want to focus on their responses and their dads reaction.

The first son said; " I will not". The man didn't fight him, he didn't get upset, he didn't withhold the boys meal. He simply approached the second son. When you ask a lady out and she says NO, you don't "unfriend" her because of that. You don't pick up a quarell just to distance yourself. The moment you begin to "explain" why she should give you a YES, omo, you dey fall your hand o.

Imagine if the father had said; "What do you mean"? "Have you forgotten how I suffered to bring you up after your mother's death"? "Oh, because you now have beards abi"? I'm sure the son would have gone like; "Parle, abeg leave matter for Matthias jare"...lol.

What I am I trying to say is this; There is always a second son. Don't put your life on hold because she gave you a NO. Adam didn't say this is now bone of my bone. He said...bone of my bones. Bros, no kill yourself o. Bone still remain.

I like the second son. He didn't say; "Dad, why didn't you approach me first"? "Oh, you felt I wasn't good enough ba"? "You are now using me as a backup plan abi"? All that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was approached. If you are feeling like a second son, relax. You'll be approached. It's a matter of time. He that will come will come and will not tarry. Remember, he that believeth does not make haste.

One more lesson from the second son. He wasn't praying that his elder brother should say NO, so their father would come to him. It's a waste of saliva, praying that your friends relationship/marriage should break up, so you can move in.

Be wise.

Sylvester Obinna.

Ibadan.