Here am I...I come to do your will

With both Mr. Neoclassic and Zydeco suffering from the aptly named "Crud", Sunday morning found me sitting in the early worship service at Benn's United Methodist Church with Classic Rock for Scout Sunday. This sweet little country church hosts the boys' Scout Troop meetings and, once a year, we are invited to participate in their worship service.

After the Light of Christ was brought into the chapel, the Scouts presented the colors - that is, they carried in the US Flag and the Christian Flag. (I don't have pictures of this event because I wasn't sure how their church would respond to a camera during services.) One of the younger Scouts then explained the Scout Oath to the congregation. It's this explanation that I want to share with you today. I thought the wording and sentiment were so "on target" for Scouting and for what we, as parents, strive for when rearing our boys. I hope you find inspiration in these words, as well.

Scout: Our honor is a quality we possess because of our dignity as human beings and children of GOD. Our "best" means to give all we have. It means to keep striving to do what we know is right, and in the Oath, it means we will try to be good Scouts by fulfilling our Scout duties as expressed in the Scout Law.

Congregation: On my honor I will do my best.

Scout: Our duty to GOD and Country means chiefly two things: obedience and loyalty. The duties we owe to the House of GOD, to our Country, to parents, to one another, and to ourselves come from some command of GOD. The Law sums up all the qualities a Scout should have and without which he cannot be a good Scout.

Congregation: To do my duty to God and my Country and to obey the Scout Law.

Scout: Our Lord told us that love of our neighbor was like the first law of love of GOD. The first children of GOD were known by the love they had for one another. Real human charity or love prompts us to want to help others at all times. Our Scout training will give us skills and knowledge that will put us in a better position to do this.

Congregation: To help other people at all times.

Scout: Scouting offers us many opportunities to grow strong physically. To be alert and ready requires us to give special care to those gifts of soul - intellect and will - that make us unto GOD. "Morally straight" means we must try to know what is right and true, and to love what is good and choose it.

Congregation: To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

We are often asked "why Scouting" and our reply is always a summation of the above.  Scouting emphasizes those character traits that we already strive to instill in our children.  Scouting provides an environment that encourages personal growth - mentally, physically, and spiritually.  We have a great Scout Master who holds the boys accountable for their actions, words, and tasks.  Mr. Neoclassic and I have used the words of the Scout Oath and the Law when talking to our own boys about a behavior infraction - "Was your decision/ action in keeping with A Scout is Trustworthy" or "Do you feel you were Courteous during that discussion."  We do the same with our daughter and her Girl Scout Law, too.  It helps them see the value of their own and others' dignity.  And that, in our opinion, is a great basis for character development.

The Boy Scout Oath is:

On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

The Boy Scout Law is:

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous,

kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. 

Personally?  I like pointing out that CLEAN part when they are unpacking from a weekend on the Appalachian Trail!