The Scout Law: Helpful

September 8, 2025

The third point of the Scout Law is Helpful. The scouting program hopes that each scout will let the Scout Law become their guide for living with purpose and being a good citizen. As Christians, we seek to develop our servant’s hearts to grow in helpfulness. It is the call to serve others selflessly, a value that strengthened America’s communities throughout our nation’s history. As I guide new scouts this school year, teaching helpfulness reminds me how this trait builds character and fosters unity. In a world often focused on self-interest, being helpful is a powerful way to live with integrity and make our nation stronger.

Being helpful means acting for the good of others without expecting reward. In America’s past, neighbors helped each other raise barns, share harvests, and face hardships together. Today, with busy schedules and individualism on the rise, helpfulness can feel overlooked, yet it remains essential. It’s about noticing needs, big or small, and stepping in, even when it’s inconvenient or unnoticed.

On the way to Wyoming, to experience the adventure of a cattle drive, we were camping in the Badlands. A wicked wind storm hit the campground where 100 families were camping. Our crew lost two tents to the wind, but fortunately we had reserve tents. After the storm, it was clear many families needed help to put their camps back together. The adults and boys fanned out in pairs and checked in with families to help them set tents back up, gather personal items blown around the campground, or comfort them and help them make decisions what to do as their tent was destroyed. It was hard to see families crying and scared while they looked at their broken campsite, but I saw my boys step in and give families hope and answers for very difficult situations. No one offered a reward. The reward was hearing, “Thank you, so much,” and seeing the smiles of people who had hope again to enjoy their vacation in the Badlands.

Scripture affirms this value. In Galatians 6:2, Paul writes, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Helpfulness reflects Jesus’ example, who served others with compassion, from feeding the hungry (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; and John 6:1-15) to washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:14-15). God calls us to help others, not for applause, but to reflect His love, meeting needs with humility and grace.

The importance of helpfulness is embedded in scouting through the Scout Slogan, which is “Do a Good Turn Daily.” Scouts have become famous for the picture of a scout helping an older woman to get safely across a busy street. I heard a simple tool to help the scout learn to do a good turn daily. Take a marble or small stone and put it in your pocket in the morning. When you have done your good turn, move the marble to the other pocket.

Have you thought about what helpfulness looks like in your life? Maybe it’s assisting a coworker with a tight deadline, mowing a neighbor’s lawn, or listening to a friend in need, even when you’re pressed for time. I challenge you to put a marble in your pocket for one week, and see if you don’t live a more helpful life for others.

Who in your life models helpfulness? Perhaps it’s a parent who quietly serves the family, a friend who volunteers without fanfare, or a mentor who goes the extra mile. These examples inspire us to live selflessly. As Philippians 3:17 urges, “Join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” Your helpfulness can influence others, young or old, as 1 Timothy 4:12 encourages us to “set an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

How might more helpfulness strengthen our nation? Imagine communities where people look out for each other, where acts of service bridge divides and build trust. Helpfulness fosters connection and resilience, values that made America great and can do so again. As we root ourselves in Christ, prayer and Scripture guide us to serve others. Psalm 86:11 prays, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.” Let’s commit to being helpful, reflecting God’s compassion.

Do you see yourself as helpful? When did you last help someone, even when it was inconvenient? How could more helpfulness in our nation make us stronger today? Who has shaped your understanding of helpfulness? Have you thanked them? Consider adding helpfulness to your list of values and challenge your family to do the same. Praise be to God, whose love inspires us to serve! (To learn more about Al Earley or read previous articles, see www.lagrangepres.org. You can purchase my book, My Faith Journal, at Amazon.com, a compilation of 366 articles as a daily devotional. Check out my podcast on YouTube, called “My Faith Journey”).