A memory is jogged in my mind when I heard the word READY. I am transported back to my younger days when I was a young boy in elementary school. A friend of mine from school invited me to a meeting at an Assemblies of God church. At the church I was introduced to other boys my age who were part of the Royal Rangers. Now you might be asking who or what are the Royal Rangers. The closest approximation I can compare them to would be the Boy Scouts. When asked back in the day, I described them as “the Boy Scouts, but they are Christian.” My reasoning was that since the Boy Scout troop I knew of met in a Catholic church, they must be affiliated with Catholicism, which I now know is not true.

The activities the Royal Rangers participated in included memorizing Bible verses, crafts (making planes and cars out of wood), how to tie knots, first aid, how to read maps and compass points, dodge ball, and camping. Yes, there was even a khaki uniform to be worn at the Wednesday meetings. Each member was given a handbook to memorize the Royal Ranger motto and Bible verses. The motto was Ready - Ready for anything! Ready to work, play, serve, worship, live and obey God’s Word.

It is funny how one word can cause a memory to be remembered, which can lead to another memory. The Royal Rangers motto of being ready is remarkably similar to the message found in 2 Timothy 4:2, “preach the word, be ready in season and out of season…” These simple words of “being ready” has had such a profound effect on my Christian life. To be ready to preach or even to share my faith, I must prepare as much as I can beforehand. I need to immerse myself in Scripture and take a deep dive into finding the truth behind what I am reading. Even then I am not always confident that I know everything and can share effectively. Being ready also means to know my limitations and being ready to surrender myself to the Holy Spirit. I need to remember to be humble and know that this is not all on me. I have the Holy Spirit ready as my guide.