I was reading the Bible, in the book of Proverbs, and a verse caught my eye. "Train up a child in the way that he should go, and he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22 : 6) This is not only true for a godly household, but it is also true for our Post. If we will take the younger vets under our wings, we can mentor them in the ways of the Legion. We can bolster our ranks by actively seeking out the young people, the new members, the next generation. We can show them the ropes, get them involved in active roles in committees and leadership.
By the same token, the Bible also has words for younger people. In 1 Timothy 4 : 12, it reads, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." We can take this advice by not belittling a new member's ideas, by accepting the younger crowds as we do those who have been members for years, by being flexible and compromising without resorting to put downs and bad attitudes.
If we think about the questions asked above, we need to take a good hard look at ourselves. Are we actively recruiting new members? Are we talking about our Post in a positive light so that people want to join? Are we approachable? Do we make people feel welcome? If it's anyone's fault, I'd say it's a collective responsibility. We also need to take the Apostle Paul's advice to Timothy to heart by setting an example in our speech, our lives, our love, our faith and our purity.
8/9/09
Melissa Fowle
Legion Post 586 and 3rd District Chaplain |
