MY PROFOUND NYSC CAMP LESSON

I have being very hesitant in posting my NYSC experience as by now you have probably gotten tired of the whole NYSC story. If you just read a little further I promise that you wouldn’t have wasted your time or your mental faculty trying to process what I have to say.

For readers who don’t know the meaning of NYSC-National Youth Service Corps. NYSC is a one year scheme, designed by the Nigerian Government, entailing a 3 weeks paramilitary training at various camps across the federation, after which you serve the community where you have been posted to. Now I am starting to sound like one of the NYSC officials 😉 .

NYSC was a whole new experience for me; of course I had to cover a whole lot of distance by various means just to get to one funny destination called Wanune, Tarka. I leave your mind to wonder about the state, but of course there is google. If by now you haven’t gotten tired of my beating around the bush, then I say congratulations my friend. I am getting to the very heart of the matter.

Have you ever been in a strange place and you have wanted to identify with another? On my first day in camp, there was a lady directly opposite me. I had seen something of hers that identified her as a member of my church, so I carefully waited for her to finish her prayers and then I greeted her and waited to chip this in “Are you a member of….church”, you should have seen the smile on my face when she said yes. This was the part I was waiting for; I immediately chipped in “That’s my church too”. She made a good friend, as I latter got to discover that she was in the same platoon with me and we attended the same fellowship in camp…I did meet another person and she was also from my church too and we made such good friends too. The binding factor here was our DENOMINATION, after that we got to know each other beyond Denomination.

Then came a Sunday morning and I think the title of the message was about “Breaking Denominational Barriers”. I have not been so much into the names of churches as I could sometimes go to another church different from mine and blend in, but for some good reasons I have to identify with a church and stay there.

The Truth is; some of us and even I have forgotten the reason for DENOMINATION and we have replaced the word with SEGREGATION, sometimes with CONDEMNATION. If she is not in my church then he/she is on her way to Hell-fire. May I remind you that we would not stand that day as a DENOMINATION but as individuals and as the Church of Christ! Let me give a brief description of what we are doing, we are all on the same football team “Jesus Team”, but we seem to be playing for the other side or scoring own goals, due to division.

Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

One of the tools the devil seems to be using at a time like this is division in the house of God. He divides then he carries out its plan. It’s very hard to attack a group of people together, but get one person out of the group then it becomes very easy to attack such a person. Let me also remind you of the time when the disciples came to meet Jesus;

Mar 9:38-40 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbade him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.

We shouldn’t be found attacking ourselves all because our doctrines are different, let’s consult the bible and if you feel your brother is not getting something right, win him over with love. We must always have the mindset that we are the body of Christ, irrespective of our different denominations. That my friend is the greatest lesson I learnt in camp.

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