It is not a lie to say I was a Boy Scout. But I was barely a Boy Scout, as
I somehow made it to Tenderfoot. I say somehow, as I could do many of the
things required, but never took the time to be tested. I was too busy out
having fun. Think about it, a group of teenage boys, with limited parental
supervision, given knives and axes, and and left in the woods for a weekend.
Eating junk food, playing with fire, and listening to stories around that
campfire at night, all being supervised by men in shorts acting like the teens
they were there to supervise. And not a cell phone, i-pod, or laptop in sight.
It was a parent free weekend, filled with so much fun that who had time to do
anything like earning merit badges. Plus although you got to wear that cool
sash with all the badges, they expected you to act responsibly too, which meant
less fun, more badges and dealing with kids like me. So maybe I was to become
the oldest Tenderfoot, while many younger were earning their badges on the way
to Life Scout, with few attaining Eagle. Those guys really got respect....But
one Jamboree I was called into action because of my age, finding rank doesn’t
always have its privledges.
I was more of a Jack of All Trades, really a screw up of all things, with
an attention span of 2 minutes. So when it came time to be part of a booth
showing off your talents, I was like the last kid chosen in kickball, no one
wanted me. So the Scoutmaster assigned me to help some younger scouts, by age
but not by rank. These guys were knot tying fools, they could tie anything into
knots, and could do various knots. Me, I wore loafers. But although their
fingers were knot crazy, they were scared in front of a crowd, and some would
even cry if called upon to speak. So I was the mouthpiece, describing all the
knots, and making it all sound interesting. And they did a great job, I must
have been OK< because we won the Best Booth, and a special badge to wear on
our sashes, for those fortunate enough to have earned one. But being the
spokesman, and the oldest, and the biggest, I got the award, and the
recognition-all without even having to tie my shoes. We had won as a team, but
one kid, who was a knot tying phenom, got upset with me, and wanted to rat me
out. He had taught all the other kids knots, I just was the front man. And I
wore him like a shadow the rest of the Jamboree, we were now recognized for what
the knot tyers had done, and he was buy telling everybody he had done
everything, that I was hogging the glory. Of which I didn’t want, I wanted to
be out setting fires with jiffy juice like my other denmates, not being held
responsible. There was no fun in that, and with this kid telling everyone what
a yuk I was, it made it worse. The kid had me tied in knots, and somewhere in
it all was a life lesson, all that responsibility just had to have a lesson tied
to it.
Now Mr. Deyerle knew who did all the work, it was no secret. But he was
trying to teach us teamwork, and the team got the credit, not the individual.
It took me to entertain as the others tied knots, or it would have put the
audience to sleep. It took both our talents, and he knew it, and while I wanted
to be out of the lime light, this other kid wanted to be in it. So when we were
asked for an encore that night, Mr. Deyerle let the kid MC the event. And the
kid panicked, and couldn’t tie anything, he was tongue tied. So Mr. D nodded at
me, I stepped in, and helped out. A lesson learned that day on teamwork, and
who gets the credit. The rain falls on the just and the unjust, some tie knots
and get tongue tied, some can’t and don’t. To be or knot to be, go
figure.
A lesson I still remember, and was reinforced years ago when working for
Roger Penske. He defined teamwork as “if it needs to be done, do it.” The team
wins, and the driver cannot do it without the pit crew, the mechanics, the crew
chief, and the sponsor’s backing. It takes a team...we may be in competition,
but not with each other. We are compliment rather than compete with each
other, something Paul wrote about in Corinthians 2000 years ago. Many were
following different teachers, Paul and Apollos among them. Some taught, some
evangelized, but it was God who provided the growth. Without him, it didn’t
matter, with him it made all the difference. We find many different talents in
the church today, and God has made no two of us alike. Some are really thankful
for that. But we need the talents of each other, in God’s power and direction
to succeed. Only God opens the heart, gives the increase, and satisfies the
soul. Only Jesus is the way, and not dressing alike, singing the same songs,
reading only the same scriptures, or trying to earn the same heavenly badge will
work. It is not what we can do, it is what Jesus did and still does that
changes everything and changes us. Only God can give the increase, so get over
it. So we should focus on him rather than on the efforts and methods we have,
even those were given to us by him. So we find strength in Christ, who tells us
we can do all things in him. When we cooperate with the spirit rather than
compete, we all win, and Jesus is glorified, he gets the credit. But yet too
many times we seek the gifts rather than the gift giver, and end up not being
part of his glory. And the strongest of churches you find made up of diverse
people, serving God, the ultimate title given to us on earth. There is only one
savior-Jesus, and he came to serve, making himself a little lower than the
angels for awhile. Imagine what we can do if we serve rather than seek
attention of our talents? And no amount of badges will gain your merit with
God, you cannot make him love you more than he does, but you can change to love
him more than you do, by loving his people more. By just doing what he shows
you to do, and nothing more.
I still cannot tie knots well today, it is like it takes a third hand for
me. So I turn to Jesus to be that hand. To tie and untie that which I cannot,
and to give him all the credit. Our booth may have been about tying knots, but
Mr. D saw a more important lesson to be learned. Jesus is like that, he sees a
more important lesson to be learned, and when he gets the credit, we get the
badges. We get to know him better, to seek him first, and to cooperate in the
spirit rather than compete against it. And all the time God provides the
growth.
Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who is to come. Some tie, some explain,
but Jesus still provides the growth. Knot you, or me. Paul may have watered
after Apollos planted, just like God planned, and he still provides that growth
today. It is he who makes us the new work, who makes us each unique, and only
he who can save us. The same but different. Go plant or water today. Ask knot
what your God can do for you, ask what you can do for your God.
Forever a Tenderfoot, love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com