I’m kidding! I don’t think the Boy Scouts are evil. They are a great organization, and I’m proud to be an Eagle Scout.
What I’m not proud of is that I spent the first 45 years of my life on autopilot, doing good deeds, but doing things more for the expectations of other people, versus my own passions and dreams. I have no one to blame for this than myself.
One thing that I discovered about myself is that I am a big-time “rule follower.” Not saying that’s bad, but taken too far, it can be short for “Follower” instead of “Leader.”
As a Boy Scout, I memorized the “Scout Law.” It goes like this….
A Scout is:
- Trustworthy
- Loyal
- Helpful
- Friendly
- Courteous
- Kind
- Obedient
- Cheerful
- Thrifty
- Brave
- Clean
- Reverent
Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this list. A boy with all of these characteristics is certainly someone you’d be OK with your teenage daughter dating.
The problem that I see, and experienced, however, is that this list is all about behaviors to be a hard-working, decent guy, in support of others and society in general.
There’s nothing on this list, the Scout Law, about characteristics such as:
- Passionate
- Inspired
- Purpose-driven
- A dreamer
- Independent
- Original
- Balanced
- Growing
- Self-reliant
I don’t blame the Boy Scouts or the Scout Law for contributing to my previous co-dependency and small-thinking. I’m sure there were many other reasons that had a bigger impact. Again, I love the Boy Scouts of America, but if I were to re-write the Scout Law, I’d add the second list above into the original twelve behaviors.
I’m curious what you may think. Please shoot me back a note and let me know.
Brett, as a life long scout, I did not receive my Eagle, I have always believed in the motto, laws and values of Scouting. It helped me focus when I was hurting and change my way of thinking from only being concerned about my personal issues, to those of people in the larger world. In many ways I think the list you would add were implied, but I see value in adding them.
Too often I have sen young men in this day and age misuse the laws and motto or plain just forget about them. If adding those words would help, then by all means do add them. However the leaders of these groups also should take them seriously. One cannot teach what you do not exemplify in ones own life.
Part of the reason I became the man I am and a Pastor is because another who lived out these values on a daily basis took time to encourage and mentor me. He infused within me a passion that though it was dormant for a time, was transformational.
Great thoughts though, thanks for the reminder.
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