"BE PREPARED." - by Matt

This is a picture of my dad presenting me with an award during a Boy Scout award ceremony.

The Boy Scouts of America, of which I was a member from the age of 11 until I semi-regretfully quit at the age of 16 (another story for another time), has a very popular motto that is required for memorization by every scout:  "Be prepared."  Although I learned a lot of stuff in the Boy Scouts about survival, camping, citizenship, etc., I had missed the true meaning of this important motto.  To me (and probably many of my fellow scouts) being prepared meant bringing extra stuff on the trip in case something happened (good or bad).  For example:  I would pack a lot of rope in case we found some cool trees to swing from into a river.  Also, the ropes would come in handy if anyone fell down a steep ravine and was stuck/injured.  For good times and terrible times the ropes among many other things would be stuffed into my backpack thus giving me a peace about my being prepared.  Having all the right stuff for the trip was "being prepared."

However, this interpretation of the motto is incorrect and dangerous.  The ignorance of lugging around 75 lbs. of unnecessary gear is the first sign that my previous interpretation is not cool.  Since being a Boy Scout I have been on numerous backpacking trips and have gone on a casual journey to lighten my pack each time I go.  (For the record:  Some ropes will always come with me, but not as many as I used to bring.)  The second problem with my previous interpretation is that it does not require one to have any understanding/knowledge of how to use any of the gear in any given situation.  Can I tie the right knot for the right situation with all of my fancy ropes or not?  "Being prepared" involves more than having the right gear (whether it is lightweight or not); "Being prepared" is about knowing.  I can have all the right gear, but if I can't use it in crunch time it is worthless.  The danger found in my previous interpretation is that confidence is placed upon the gear.  So, let me encourage you in the carnal before I make my point in the Spirit...Pack light, study up on your backpacking destination and a few good knots, and prepare yourself physically (eat good and exercise) before going on a backpacking trip. 

As we near the greatest and most terrible times in history leading up to the return of Jesus we truly must consider what it means to "Be prepared."  Every Christmas "Santa" adds 10-20 new books to my library in order to prepare me for the preaching of the Word and for knowing Jesus more.  However, I find myself (and far too many others) putting a whole lot of stock in having resources to reference, but never really knowing the material in the books or the One who we are wanting to know.  We put our confidence in our books and our degrees, but do we really know God?  Are we really prepared to preach to the lost world about our God?  Can we go with Him outside of the boat to walk on the water with Him because of our library and degree?  This sounds as silly as lugging around a bunch of rope and not having a clue on how to tie a knot.  I desire to know Jesus and love Him well.  Our confidence must be in Him.  He is coming.

Jesus is very clear throughout the Gospels that we are to be ready ("Be prepared") for His coming (Especially in Matthew 24 & 25). As I looked at my library one day I began to get revelation concerning the times of widespread persecution that will come as His return gets closer.  I saw many churches and pastors' homes being burned, and with the buildings went their access to the internet and their libraries full of books, notes, etc.  The sad part was that so many did not actually know Jesus; they only knew about Him through books and such.  Many of them had been 'burned out' for many years and had been preparing their sermons each Sunday based on sermons they found on the internet and from notes from past sermons in order to perform for their congregation, not from the prophetic message God had for them to give at that time.  If only they had known Him back then, but now it was crunch time.  So I watched these books burn and I thought to myself:  Am I getting prepared? Am I getting to know Him? What will we do in that day?  Do we know Him?  Are we getting oil (Matt. 25)?  I must continually set my life in this direction --> to know Him and love Him well.  I encourage you to join Melissa and me in this interpretation of the great Boy Scout motto: "Be prepared."