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Scoutmaster Minute
A group of boys decided it was time to prove to the tribe elders that they were old enough to be considered men. By custom, the rite of manhood included living alone for one week in the wilderness. Each boy was instructed to take a knife as his only weapon and come back seven days later to tell of his adventures. One boy, wanting to prove that he was more of a man than the others, decided that he would climb the snow-capped mountains for his week of adventure. Surely, living in the snow and cold is a hardship that the elders must agree that only a man could endure. So, he walked an entire day across the plains to the foot of the mountains. He climbed halfway up the mountains to the snowline when a snake spoke to him.
"Help me," the snake cried.
"Why should I help you, a rattlesnake? You are known to bite and kill people," replied the boy.
"I am cold and almost frozen. Please put me in your warm shirt and take me down the mountain to where it is warm where I can survive," said the rattlesnake.
"How do I know that you are not going to bite and kill me?" asked the boy.
"Why should I bite the person who saves my life?" replied the snake.
"Ok. I do not like to see anything die. Promise you won't bite me?" asked the boy.
"I Promise," replied the snake.
So the boy placed the snake in his shirt and walked down the mountain. As he opened his shirt to let the snake out, the rattlesnake bit him.
"WHY DID YOU BITE ME? You promised you wouldn't bite and kill me!" yelled the boy.
The snake replied, "You knew who I was when you picked me up. I am a rattlesnake and I did what my instincts told me to do. You have nobody to blame for your death but yourself."
At that, the snake slithered off to look for its next victim.
Today, a boy doesn't prove his maturity by living alone in the wilderness anymore, but instead shows that he is a man by living wisely and making good decisions by himself.
However, the rattlesnakes are still out there. They come in many sizes, shapes, colors, and forms. They may be in your neighborhood or your home.
A student of mine fell victim to one of these rattlesnakes. His name was Demetrius Frazer. He was driving his car accompanied by his cousin. They had picked up a drug dealer, but the deal went bad and turned into a robbery. He was shot four times. The drug dealer took his car. His cousin ran off and left him. He attempted to get help by knocking on the doors of nearby houses. Help did not arrive and he died on the front lawn of a stranger's house. He was only 21 years old. Just like the young boy from the tribe, this rattlesnake proved deadly. Illegal drugs will falsely promise a lot of good times and laughs, but will instead lie to you. The few hours of chemical-induced pleasure may cost you the rest of your life, literally.
It is up to you to recognize these dangers. So, use your head, think things through. Make wise choices, and above all, avoid the rattlesnakes.
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