The Singing Scoutmaster: The Lunch Table

Look around the cafeteria. Most tables have groups of friends laughing and talking. But there's always someone sitting alone - maybe they're new, maybe they're shy, maybe they just don't fit in anywhere yet. Everyone sees them. Most people look away.

Then one Scout walks over and says, "Hey, want to sit with us?" Those six words can transform someone's entire school experience. Suddenly they're not alone. They have a place. They matter to someone. It might be the kindest thing anyone's done for them all year.

A Scout is kind especially to those who are excluded. It costs you nothing to make room at your table, but it can mean everything to someone who's been sitting alone. And here's what you might not realize: your kindness gives others permission to be kind too. When you welcome the outsider, you make your whole group more welcoming. That's leadership through kindness.