Suddenly Life Changes

Being Prepared is a Boy Scout Motto.

At least it was back in 1916 in Scouting for Boys by Robert Baden-Powell. Lord Baden-Powell is the founder of the Scout Movement and is the first Chief Scout of the Boy Scouts Association. A lieutenant-general in the British Army, he penned many writings that were read by boys and conducted a demonstration camp which is now considered the formation of The Boy Scouts Association.

Back in the day, I was a Cub Scout (I still have some of the badges), and later, a Den Leader and a Cub Master. Scouting today is a shadow of what I think it must have been back then. Still, the motto is something I remember from those younger days of scouting in about 1961. Or so. Seabrook, Texas,

But being prepared is something we truly struggle with today. Now. Present tense. If truth were a reality in each of our worlds, then we would be prepared for days of trouble or sickness. Financial reliability would never be called into question. Our creditability, health, career, and family would always be organized and in order. Why?

Because we not only learned the motto “Be Prepared” but we learned what it means to be prepared, and we were prepared.

I look around me and I find this is not a motto well learned!

Perhaps we turn our back on the basest of lessons as we grow in this society. It becomes harder to look over our shoulders at the distant past, or with dimmed eyes, we cannot see the lessons we once learned. Our eyes are fixed on the prize of the future. Rewards are sought without considering the cost. Lessons taught of our fathers are not lived today. We seek new teachers, different insights, almost anything that is not like our past.

A term from Paul comes to mind: Itching Ears! (2 Timothy 4:3)

While it is true that our actions will adapt to current situations, the “who” we are should never change because we Prepared Ourselves.

This thought came to me when I was wrapping up a Global Leadership Summit meeting hosted by a local church. I went not knowing what to expect but was pleasantly pleased with the presentations, books and the connection with other people who are interested in taking Leadership to a better level. Who knows what life holds in store, but next year it would be nice to take others to this summit.

I took a lunch break at a popular local soup and sandwich shop. A favorite place. Several hours later I was deathly sick with either a 24-hour bug or food poisoning. I vote for the latter because I knew of no one who else with this bug.

It kept me so incapable of writing my blog for two days!

Now, as to the “preparedness” motto. Was I prepared for this bug? No. It wiped me out. So much so I had to skip church on Sunday and could only spend two days recouping from the violence of Friday night.

I’m so thankful my wife was there to help me out!

Here’s My Thought

This got me to thinking about learning how to be better prepared. We live in a time when people hoard food, water, and firearms against a calamitous event. In my neck of the woods, there are people who follow a particular someone and they store all kinds of “future event” items in bunkers on their property. Buried in barrels and stored in marked places against a future disaster.

Also, we live in an area where Mt Rainier, a dormant volcano, could let loose anytime and we would be clogged with debris that will make it impossible to live any kind of normal life. So, people store up their “ready kits” should such a disaster occur. This can include having a generator in case an ice storm brings power lines down for days.

Let’s Take This Spiritual For A Moment

We can be ready for a lot of things, including national disasters, but how prepared are we for our Spiritual well being?

A grandson of David, Rehoboam, became King of Jerusalem when he was 41 years old. He reigned 17 years in Jerusalem, and strengthened the land, built cities of defense, and stored up weaponry, food, oil and wine against the day when they would be most needed (2 Chronicles 11:11-12). He even sought to enlarge the peoples heart to seek after God. But…

And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the LORD.
(2 Chronicles 12:14 NKJV)

What was his missing act of preparation?

He had idols in his life. You know. Those things (and people) valued higher than God. We could read and study to determine what these things were, but why don’t we pause a moment and determine if we have anything ourselves that we place a higher value on than God.

In fact, maybe we should all go back to some beginning point of our life and find the words of God that give us a better way to live. Today. This is how you prepare. One commentary states that the entire Psalms 119…yes, all 176 verses, are the general law of God that should be written in the heart.

Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
(Psalms 119:11 NKJV)

What’s Your Status?

As we approach the end of the year (yes, it’s soon 2020), we often start thinking about our New Years Resolution, changes we promise to make in the new year, and habits we plan to drop.

So… What’s written in your heart that keeps you prepared? How well is that preparation going? Can you improve your status? Certainly…And it’s not what you think!

How about some private Word Time with God’s Holy Word?

This always leads to prayer, introspection and some quiet status checking time. Trust me. It’s always needed… That’s how you get prepared, and stay prepared. Improve your status with God, and don’t worry about others!