"SCOUTRIBUTES"

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Back in the middle of last month I was privileged to attend an EAGLE SCOUT COURT of HONOR service.  It was a ceremony honoring the son of a good friend, Zachary.  I have been meaning to write about it for a couple of weeks now and my reminder note was buried under a pile of work.  If I don’t have a reminder note, there just isn’t enough room in this feeble little brain to remember.

But GOD helped me uncover it today.  So I thought I would share.

It was refreshing to witness Zachary and several other young men whose diligence and determination had led them to the very prestigious honor of EAGLE SCOUT.  I was never involved in Scouts, but it was evident that these boys were some fine fellows indeed. 

Some words immediately came to mind.

Hardworking.

Respectful.

Determined.

These were "GOOD" young men who were all about doing "GOOD" deeds for others.

And as we were seated for the ceremony each of us received little program outlining the event and on the front of it were desired attributes of a SCOUT.

I found it most interesting.

The list goes like this…

A SCOUT is:

TRUSTWORTHY

LOYAL

HELPFUL

COURTEOUS

KIND

OBEDIENT

CHEERFUL

THRIFTY

BRAVE

CLEAN

REVERENT

Those traits bring to mind GODLINESS to me.  And it wouldn’t hurt any of us to take a page from these young men and seek to embody and exercise these traits as well as a few others day after day.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Yet sadly our culture continues to undermine the importance of things like reverence, loyalty and good deeds, trading them in for sarcasm, greed and selfishness. 

As Christians we need to think better and DO better. And there is no doubt in my mind that if we followed the lead of young men like Zachary, our culture would surely benefit.  We personally would benefit.

I mean what could be wrong with a culture of trustworthiness and courtesy?  What could be wrong with embracing cleaner and more responsible living?  What could be wrong with a few more "good deed doers"?

Nothing.

John Wesley said it this way…

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”

That rings of a Scout-like charge to me.  Sounds like a charge for the CHRISTIAN too!

So will you join me in embracing this fine list of attributes and traits and incorporate them into your thinking and deeds today?

It's time we too did a "GOOD DEED" or two.

 

I love you all!

Freedom Church

 

Pastor GDelaney