While a programme was being advertised on radio, I heard something like ‘wont you love to hang out with the eagles or would you like to be with the duck who cannot fly?’

Something revolted in me, not against the programme – a beautiful one – but against the metaphor used. Why must the eagle be compared with the duck when their fortes are distinctively unique and dissimilar? When the mission is all about flying, yes I can understand. But when the mission is about swimming where birds lay down their wings, the eagle will be a pitiable sight in the pool. Then will men know that the duck is a veteran at its own skill and realise that the zenith of injustice is the inequality of treating unequals as though they are equal. Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid – Albert Enstein.

And so is it with children. Ever too often parents commit the error of comparing their children. John Wilmot said, “before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories”. What this means is that every child is unique and no one theory or principle is applicable to all. Not even twins from the same parent, even if they are identical. Their giftings are so uniquely different that it is an unpardonable goof to compare them. Let’s propel them to greatness. Your ‘eagle’ son is not superior to your neighbour’s ‘duck’ daughter. While some may be eagles destined to soar above the mountains, and some, ducks destined to glide atop the tides, an arena the eagle cannot dare, let’s help them embrace their uniqueness. In the wisdom of the Almighty who distributed the giftings, none is superior to the other.

Who has put you down? Who has made you look small? Who are you comparing yourself with? Get out of that lie, you have an uncommon endowment. You only need to discover it, celebrate it and run with it. So it is with our children!

‘Femi Adekunle