The Singing Scoutmaster: Forgiveness

Scouts, imagine you're on a long hike and someone hands you a heavy rock. You put it in your pack and keep walking. A mile later, someone hands you another rock. Then another. Before long, your pack is so heavy you can barely move, and you're miserable - but you won't put the rocks down because someone gave them to you.

That's what holding a grudge is like. Every time someone hurts you and you refuse to forgive, you're adding another rock to your pack. The person who hurt you has probably moved on, but you're still carrying that weight everywhere you go.

Now, forgiveness doesn't mean what happened was okay. If a friend broke your favorite camping lantern or said something that hurt your feelings, you don't have to pretend it didn't happen. Forgiveness means you're choosing not to carry that heavy rock anymore. You're saying, 'I'm not going to let this weigh me down.'

Forgiving yourself matters too. Maybe you made a mistake at the last campout, or you said something you wish you could take back. You learned from it, and now it's time to set that rock down and keep hiking.

This week, think about whether you're carrying any rocks that you don't need to. Forgiveness isn't a gift you give to someone else - it's a gift you give to yourself. A lighter pack makes for a much better journey.