Every good Boy Scout knows he’s supposed to be prepared.
Being prepared usually covers such things as helping little old ladies across the street and, in this age of political correctness, helping little old men across the street, as well.
None of the Scout manuals I have ever read include saving the President of your country from the assassination attempt of a knife-wielding murderer.
Even so, last week in the Maldives, a nation of islands in the Indian Ocean, a fifteen-year-old Boy Scout by the name of Jaisham did exactly that.
When he saw a man lunge at the President with a knife he had camouflaged in the national flag, the Scout jumped into action. Jaisham grabbed the knife and received a hand wound as a reward for his bravery. Because of his action, the President was saved and the assailant was captured.
It was a noble act that has caused Jaisham to be proclaimed a national hero. Quite rightly, I think.
Now the reason his story is shared is this: The United States is in an election year. Like most election years things have a tendency to get a little crazy as candidates come at each other with verbal daggers and commercial assaults.
Everybody seems to be criticizing and demeaning everybody else.
That’s not the way Christians are to act.
In the book of Titus we are instructed, “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.” And that’s what this devotion is doing. It is reminding all of the Savior’s followers that they, as citizens of an earthly country, as well as the heavenly kingdom of God, are to be obedient to those who have been placed in authority above us.
Our words should show that we are ready for every good work. In short we should be like Jaisham. We should be prepared to help our leaders and not hurt them.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for leaders who give their lives for the common good, I give thanks. May my words speak well of these men and women so the world may see Christians are good citizens in both their earthly and heavenly kingdoms. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.