Last night, I couldn't sleep. I came home quite late from the National Theatre, and decided to sleep a few hours before waking up to write today's Message from the Morning Man, but no matter what I did, I just couldn't fall asleep, so I went back into the living room and switched on the TV.

After flipping through the channels, something on National Geographic caught my eye. It was a fascinating documentary about Giraffes. I like giraffes. They have nice fur. So I stayed on to watch a little more.

They were showing images of a giraffe being born. Now the mother giraffe gives birth standing up, so the first thing that a baby giraffe experiences is a two foot fall to the ground.

While the little thing is still dazed and standing precariously on its wobbly feet, the mummy giraffe knocks it over again. She then waits patiently for the baby giraffe to struggle back onto its feet, at which point she knocks it over again. Inconsiderate Mummy giraffe will keep knocking her newborn down over and over, waiting patiently each time for it to get up, and then knock it over again.

When the miserable little thing is clearly exhausted and barely standing with its last vestige of energy, Mummy will kick it over one more time and watch unconcerned as the little newborn digs deep to find some hidden reserve of willpower to rise back onto its feet one last time. After that, she doesn't knock it over again.

Why this mysteriously cruel behaviour? Simple: in order to survive predators, the first lesson a giraffe must learn is how to get up quickly.

My friends, nature has a way of teaching us exactly what we need to know. That is God's way of ensuring we are equipped to deal with the hardships of the future.

God doesn't want us to squander the blessings He plans to send our way. He teaches us what we need to learn before He places us where we need to be. If He plans for you to be a Billionaire, He takes you through poverty first - so you learn to respect your wealth and manage your resources. If He plans for you to be a leader, He first makes you a servant. Ask Joseph from the Old Testament. If God wants you to teach, He first makes you learn. It's His natural order.

So be encouraged. The harder things are for you today, the bigger the blessing God is preparing you for.

My name is Kojo Yankson, and I know I'm in for something big - if I can get up just one more time…

GOOD MORNING, GHANAFO!