A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful…so begins the Scout law. This is a list of twelve qualities that Scouts strive to live up to, whether at a Scouting event or in everyday life. Our family has been involved in Scouting for over fourteen years now. During that time we have logged many, many hours at all kinds of activities ranging from weekly meetings, to camping trips, to fundraising events and much more in between!
Our kids have learned a lot from Scouting, much good, some difficult. One aspect that we embraced as a family from the beginning was the practice of leaving things better than we found them. Whenever we would finish up an event, all Scouts and leaders would systematically scour the area for trash or anything we might have left behind. The kids would grumble a little of course, but they always did a good job.
As a parent or a leader of young people, you never know what is going to stick. Much of the time it can feel like our words are bouncing off brick walls right back at us. It may take years to find out what did get through, maybe until the kids we were talking to have kids of their own. However, in this area I have seen the impact it made on my own kids.
Wherever they go, my kids are always cleaning things up and leaving it better than they found it. Whether it is at the lake or eating at a restaurant, my family is picking up any trash left around. My husband leads the charge in this, especially at restaurants. When we are done eating, the table is cleaner than when we sat down!
This habit of ours is based on something that may not be readily apparent: respect. By leaving something cleaner than when we arrived, we are showing respect for the next people that visit. By gathering our dishes and cleaning the table at a restaurant, we are showing respect for the servers and bussers that are working. When we pick up stray fish hooks, bottle caps, or broken glass that others have left at the lake, we are showing respect for little feet that may come after us.
In our world of overwhelming problems, this little quirk of ours may not seem to count for much. However, if more of us would take this idea of respect for others–even others that we are never going to meet and who will never know anything about us–into other areas of life, maybe together we will begin to change those problems.
The Scriptures do not record Jesus and His disciples cleaning in this way, although they didn’t leave the scraps from their meal all over the mountain! However, Jesus had a tendency to leave people better than He found them, if they were willing. He still does this today. He can come into our messy lives and clean them up if we will allow Him. Just like the Scouts are supposed to be, He too is trustworthy.
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