The Scout Law: Kind

October 6, 2025

As we advance through our twelve-part series on the Scout Law, we come to the sixth point: Kind. Kindness stands out as a call to show compassion and care, a value that wove America’s communities together in its early days. As I teach new scouts this principle at the start of the school year, I’m reminded how kindness fosters connection and reflects integrity. In a world often marked by indifference, being kind is a powerful way to honor God and strengthen our nation.

Kindness means acting with empathy, seeking to uplift others without expecting anything in return. In America’s past, kindness was evident in neighbors sharing meals, helping strangers, and caring for the vulnerable. Today, with hurried lives and growing division, kindness can feel scarce, yet it’s essential. It’s about small, intentional acts, like offering a word of encouragement, helping someone in need, or showing patience. These acts of kindness show others they are valued, even when it costs us time or effort.

In 1982, in Berkeley, CA, writer Anne Herbert published the first known account of “Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Acts of Senseless Beauty” in “CoEvolution Quarterly”. After her article appeared, the kindness movement began to spread in surrounding communities. People would tell stories of “guerilla kindness”, where the person in front of them would pay for their meal in the drive through line. This is known as “paying it forward.”

Other examples include complimenting people with reckless abandon, sending someone some old-fashioned snail mail with words of praise or encouragement or leaving a snack for someone that has a service job.

Scripture affirms this value. In Colossians 3:12, Paul writes, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Kindness reflects Christ’s heart, who showed compassion to the hurting, like in the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37, who cared for a stranger when others passed by. God calls us to be kind, not for recognition, but to reflect His love, meeting others’ needs with grace.

The Eagle Board of Review occurs when a scout is ready to earn the highest award in scouting, the Eagle award. Their advancement record is reviewed, and many questions are asked to give the Board a chance to know the character of the scout. A question that is often asked of the scout is, “What point of the scout law do you think you best represent?” One scout thought for a long time, and then said, “I am not sure many people think Kind is the most important point of the scout law, but to me it is. I try to be kind to everyone that I meet.”

I found that to be a profound insight into this point of the scout law. Most scouts will gravitate to Trustworthy, Reverent, or maybe Brave. I think this scout had grasped the importance of kindness to build up others. Also, I thought he was correct that he had learned to live by the challenges of being kind to everyone, and his scout career had inspired many scouts.

Have you considered what kindness looks like in your life? Maybe it’s comforting a friend, helping a stranger with a task, or showing patience with a frustrating coworker, even when you’re busy. Reflect on a time when being kind made a difference. How did it impact you or those you helped?

Kindness can also include taking care of God’s creation. Our Troop always tries to leave the campgrounds in better shape than before we arrived. Before we leave the campground, we will form a “litter line”, and walk across the grounds at the same time. Everyone is responsible for collecting the garbage in front of them, as everyone walks straight ahead. This has a powerful impact on the way scouts treat the outdoors, and helps them to become committed to taking care of God’s creation. I think this is an important way to think about kindness.

How might more kindness strengthen our nation? Imagine communities where people support each other, where empathy bridges divides and uplifts the hurting. Kindness fosters trust and unity, values that made America great and can do so again. As we root ourselves in Christ, prayer and Scripture guide us to live with compassion. Psalm 86:11 prays, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.”

Let’s commit to being kind, reflecting God’s love. Do you see yourself as kind? When did you last show compassion, even when it was inconvenient? Who has shaped your understanding of kindness? How does their example inspire you? Consider adding kindness to your list of values and challenge your family to do the same. Praise be to God, whose compassion inspires us to care!

(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”).