Scoutmaster Minute: Willingness

As I was thinking about the scoutmaster minute for today, I was drawn to the topic of WILLINGNESS.

The definition of willingness is:

1. Disposed or inclined; prepared, ready
2. Acting or ready to act gladly; eagerly compliant, cheerfully
3. Done voluntarily

It is interesting that as we look closely at the definition of WILLINGNESS, we see words like:

• Prepared
• Cheerful
• Helpful

I couldn’t help to notice that these words were very familiar to me and likely to you as scouts as well. To be prepared. Right! Be Prepared. Scouts, what is that? That is right. Our Motto. Yet, in this case, it wasn’t a definition of being prepared that I normally thought of. I always thought of being prepared as being trained. Knowing what to do when… coming upon someone who needs help or putting up a tent, or teaching a skill.

But, here is another way that we as scouts… can Be Prepared… Be prepared to help. Be willing to step in when needed. To volunteer without being asked.

And here is where the other two words in there jump out at me… To be Cheerful about it when asked, when helping.

So… here is a way to live out the scout motto…. Be Prepared…. Be Willing