Scout’s Virtue #2: Loyalty
I want to take a second and thank all of you who read my ramblings and a special thanks to those who take the time to comment and interact on the blog. One must embrace the times and though I pine for the days when people sat around a kitchen table or a fireplace in the “parlor” and talked about their day and the deeper things of life-it just ain’t that way anymore. Blogs, e-mails, instant messages, video phones (I just got one of those yesterday-it’s pretty cool) have taken the place of a lot of our face to face interactions. I’m not sure that’s good, but that’s how it is. So for those of you who participate thanks for being part of the Blake Road Parlor Club. Now, let’s move on to this week’s topic.
I slept late today. I know, I know, but it happens. The alarm went off at 5:00 as usual and I must have turned it off. Cindy woke me up at 6:40- way too late to make it to the gym by 7:00. I am highly agitated at myself right now. Now trust me, missing a workout isn’t going to kill me, but what bothers me is that I let my training partners down. Wednesdays are deadlift days and we go heavy. You really need your partners there to spot you and to encourage you if you are going to pull 400+ pounds off the floor-I hope they forgive me. I take a lot of pride in being loyal, always showing up on time; always ready to go-but I just dropped the ball today.
The #2 scout virtue is, “A Scout is loyal”. The manual says:
“Loyalty is also a scout virtue. A scout ought to be loyal to all whom he has obligations. He ought to stand up courageously for the truth, for his parents and friends.” (p. 9)
“He is loyal to all who loyalty is due.” (p. 15)
“Loyalty is another scout virtue which must stand out prominently, because it makes him true to his home, his parents, and his country.” (p. 249)
What is this virtue called loyalty anyway? The dictionary defines loyalty as,
1. Steadfast in allegiance to one's homeland, government, or sovereign.
2. Faithful to a person, ideal, custom, cause, or duty.
3. Of, relating to, or marked by loyalty
Some synonyms for loyalty are: trueness, faithfulness, fidelity, staunchness, steadfastness, allegiance, love, consecration, cooperation, devotion. You don’t have to be a professional theologian to see that loyalty should be one of the hallmark virtues of a Christian.
Loyalty is most often referred to as “devotion” in the Scriptures. We are instructed to be loyal to Christ, loyal to prayer and Bible study, loyal to one another, loyal to worship, etc, etc. I think it would be cool to call our daily “devotions” our daily “loyalties”-that small change in wording, at least to me, gives me a whole new perspective to “quiet time”.
So its 8:30 now, I have to go to work. The staff meets at 9:00 for prayer. I’ve already blown my loyalty once today; I really don’t want to do it twice. How about you? How loyal are you to those people and causes that are deserving of your loyalty? In this world of so many choices, so many people and things that clamor for your loyalty, how do you choose and maintain your loyalties?
