We say the Scout Law at every meeting, but do you really know what each point means? The Scout Law has 12 points, and each is a fundamental principle of Scouting. Henceforth, each point should be a goal for every Scout. A Scout should always try to live up to the Law every day, even when it may not be easy to do.
A SCOUT IS:
- TRUSTWORTHY – Tell the truth and keep promises. People can depend on you. A trustworthy person arrives on time, commits to tasks he can handle, and completes both boring and difficult tasks on time. When others see that he completes tasks, they trust him with more and more responsibilities because he has earned that trust.
- LOYAL – Show that you care about your family, friends, Scout leaders, school, and country. Being loyal is a trait that is often tested and often misdirected. Whether or not a Scout agrees with the way a specific leader, he must demonstrate respect to that position.
- HELPFUL – Volunteer to help others without expecting a reward. Always be ready and willing to help. Sometimes you will have to go out of the way.
- FRIENDLY – Be a friend to everyone, even people who are very different from you – don’t pre-judge. Scout is a friend to all, not just other human-beings.
- COURTEOUS – Be polite to everyone and always use good manners. This goes regardless of age and position. Be a gentleman and do a good turn daily!
- KIND – Treat others as you want to be treated. Never harm or kill any living thing without good reason. Consider how actions today will affect the future. One random act of kindness can eventually return to you.
- OBEDIENT – Follow the rules of your family, school, and pack. Obey the laws of your community and country. If you think these rules or laws are unfair, try to have them changes in an orderly manner rather than just disobeying them. In all circumstances, an obedient Scout must make sure that obeying a direction is not against his honor.
- CHEERFUL – Look for the bright side of life. Cheerfully do tasks that come your way. Try to help others be happy. Being cheerful is not the same as being happy. Many are certainly not happy about cleaning the latrine and don’t enjoy the job, but they can still be cheerful while doing it. They can choose to grumble and complain and wallow in self-pity or they can tackle the task with vigor.
- THRIFTY – Work to pay your own way. Try not to be wasteful. Use time, food, supplies, and natural resources wisely. Thriftiness is most often discussed in terms of money, but a Scout should be thrifty in all areas of life. Turning off unused lights, closing doors and window shades, recycling, and even planning driving routes around town are all ways to be thrifty. Whether relatively rich or poor, a Scout that is thrifty will be ready and able to help others.
- BRAVE – Face difficult situations even when you feel afraid. Do what you think is right despite what others might be doing or saying – have courage. Don’t let fear control you. Making excuses and blaming others for mistakes rather than accepting the blame for actions and apologizing for mistakes are habits formed by fear. The Scout brave enough to accept consequences for his decisions is brave.
- CLEAN – Keep your body and mind fit. Help keep your home and community clean. Scouts that fail to keep their gear clean and dry discover it wears out faster. Especially during this pandemic, it is very important to stay physically clean. Wash your hands!
- REVERENT – Be reverent toward God. Be faithful in your religious duties. Respect the beliefs of others. Reverence fosters joy, a cheerful heart, and the ability to appreciate and care for the good in life.