If you have never been a Scout or involved with Scouts, you still likely know the Scout motto: “Be Prepared.” The motto was crafted by Baden-Powell, the founder of scouting when he wrote the first Scouting handbook in 1908. The handbook relays the following exchange when someone asked about the motto in this way, “Be Prepared… for what?” to which Baden-Powell answered simply, “Oh well, for any old thing.” Quoting from the handbook, “he wanted each Scout to be ready in mind and body for any struggle, and to meet with a strong heart whatever challenges that might lie ahead.”

What a great tie-in to our scripture today from Jeremiah that tells the story of a young person called to a task he did not feel prepared to take on.

Jeremiah was young, just 18 years old, when God called him to be a prophet. And like most of us when faced with a challenge beyond our experience, he protested: “I am only a boy!” He didn’t feel ready. He didn’t think he had what it took. But God assured him: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”

That is the nature of God’s call—it doesn’t always come when we feel ready, and yet God promises to equip us along the way.

I was thinking about that this week, and it reminded me of a story I heard many years ago about a Scout camping trip. A troop had set out on a weekend adventure—hiking, setting up tents, building fires. One Scout, eager and excited, had packed his bag carefully, making sure he had everything from the list. Or so he thought.

That night, as the temperatures dropped and the fire turned to embers, he went to unroll his sleeping bag only to discover…he hadn’t packed it. He had everything else—his flashlight, his mess kit, even an extra pair of socks—but the one thing he truly needed for the cold night ahead was missing. He wasn’t prepared, at least not fully.

The other Scouts didn’t let him struggle alone. They shared extra blankets, made space near the fire, and made sure he got through the night. He had come into the trip thinking he had everything he needed, but what really sustained him wasn’t what he brought in his pack—it was the people around him, the ones who helped him when he needed it most.

Which brings us to 1 Corinthians 13, one of the most well-known passages in the Bible, often heard at weddings but meant for so much more. Paul tells us that we can have all the skills, all the knowledge, all the preparation—but if we do not have love, we have nothing. Love is what equips us for the journey ahead.

Scouts learn to be prepared for the wilderness with tools and skills—tying knots, reading maps, building fires. These are all important, but a Scout who only learns skills and forgets the deeper values of service, kindness, and responsibility is not truly prepared for life.

Paul makes a similar point in 1 Corinthians 13. He lists all kinds of impressive qualities—speaking in tongues, having great knowledge, even having faith to move mountains—but then he says, “If I do not have love, I am nothing.”

Love is what makes all our other preparation meaningful. Love is what binds us together. It’s what turns a collection of skills into something more than just personal achievement. Without love, we might have all the right tools, but we’ll miss the deeper purpose of why we are on this journey at all.

Just like the Scout who forgot his sleeping bag, we all have moments when we realize we are missing something essential. We might feel we’ve got everything in order—our careers, our responsibilities, our plans—but then life throws a challenge at us, and we realize we need something more. We need love. We need the presence of others. We need the assurance that we do not walk alone.

Paul tells us that love is patient and kind, not boastful or arrogant. Love is what allows us to be prepared—not just for our own success, but for building up those around us. And ultimately, love is what lasts. “Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”

Jeremiah’s call reminds us that we are called even when we don’t feel ready. Paul’s words remind us that we are prepared, not just by what we know, but by how we love. And our own experiences remind us that we don’t walk this journey alone.

Scouts go on hikes and learn survival skills, but the greatest lessons they learn are about service, about showing up for each other, about being trustworthy and kind. The same is true in our faith.

We don’t follow Christ just to check off a list of spiritual accomplishments. We follow Christ because we are called to love and serve, to walk this journey with and for others.

So today, whether you are a Scout, a leader, or someone seeking direction in your life, hear this good news:

• You are called. Like Jeremiah, you may not feel ready, but God is already equipping you.
• You are prepared. Like a Scout packing a bag, you have been given gifts, skills, and the presence of a loving community.
• You are not alone. Like the Scout who forgot his sleeping bag, you will find warmth and care in the love of those around you.

So go forward, prepared for the journey head in faith, hope, and love—ready for any old thing.

In the name of our Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen.