(loosely adapted from Woods Wisdom - Scoutmaster's Minutes)
Why do we have laws? What's the purpose of laws?
Of course, we must have laws to govern society; to protect life and property; to restrain men from following their evil intentions; and to exact justice when they do so.
But there is another reason for having laws. God has given us His law to direct us in the way that we should go. God's law teaches us how to be like Our Heavenly Father. It teaches us what is pleasing in His sight and calls us to embrace these things as truly good, truly to be desired, truly beautiful.
How does the Scout Law fit into all of this? Are the twelve points of the Scout Law something that must be obeyed or you'll go to jail? Of course not. The Scout Law is a different kind of law. It is a prescription for good character. But in its way the Scout Law is just as important as the laws the U.S. Congress passes because the man who follows the Scout Law will be the best kind of citizen. That kind of citizen tries his best to obey not only the Scout Law but also the laws of his community, state, and nation. But most importantly, that kind of citizen tries his best to obey the law of God.
Let us strive to follow the Scout Law because the Scout Law exhorts us to embrace what is pleasing in God's sight, to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.
May the Lord bless each of you as you seek to follow Him by following the Scout Law.
Last Revised 10/7/2001