DEAR CORPER 4: DO NOT SHRINK YOUR MIND TO THE SIZE OF YOUR ALLOWANCE
I served in the generation that enjoyed the transition of monthly allowance from less than 10,000 to a little less than 20,000 naira. It was a great joy having that raise. It was also my generation that enjoyed the conduct of the 2011 election and the lovely payout of the time. You need to see the smile on the faces of many of my colleagues.
From experience, there is a tendency to shrink the size of your mind to the amount of your monthly allowance. It is a dangerous thing to do. If you realise that you shut down and begin to say, “How much is my allowance?”, you are already in a terrible state.
Why is this important?
First, there is a tendency that you will likely lose out on obeying God especially when He asks you to make a sacrifice.
I was leaving NCCF (Christian Corps Members) fellowship that evening and he told me to give a dear one walking in front of me the money I had on me. I obeyed. This precious one said, “All I brought to camp was stolen today. Thank you so much”. He had something to spend till we got our bicycle allowance.
But the value that relationship has brought to my life in the past 14 years has been tremendous. If you shut down your bowels of mercy and compassion because of what you earn, you have shut down a future harvest.
Furthermore, you may become so focused on yourself that you become blind to opportunities to be a blessing. There are seeds today that become a great harvest tomorrow.
If David and his men had been lost in their pains and pursuit to recover all, they would never have given bread to the Egyptian slave. He was the password to all they needed.
Along the way, they found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink.
1 Samuel 30:11 NLT
Do you know the question David asked him when he recovered strength?
“Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked. The young man replied, “If you take an oath in God’s name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.”
1 Samuel 30:15 NLT
Also, you need to know that there are things you will shut down on because you are thinking of how much you earn.
The other side of the matter is that you must never allow what you earn to turn you into a statue when you are meant to be a movement. There is dignity in labour. Do not allow that certificate to become the reason why you remain small. I know those who started a business as corp members and have not left the place they served. They have become strong voices in the land in the area of their business. They started small. Today, they have become reference points.
If not for the Lord who called me to ministry in Eruwa, I would have stayed back where I served. I was already running an organization that had huge potential with the church, the government and the private sector.
Beloved, do not shrink the size of your mind to the size of your allowance. You are much more than that! Do not let ‘bicycle allowance’ keep you at a bicycle level. Step up!
temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa