The Coffee Can

A camp counselor kept an old coffee can at the campfire. Any staff member who used a word they wouldn't say in front of their grandmother had to drop in a quarter. By the end of summer, the can bought ice cream for the whole camp. But something else happened too. People started choosing their words more carefully, and the camp felt friendlier.

A Scout is Clean. That means a clean body and clean surroundings, but it also means clean words and clean thoughts. The way we talk shapes the way others see us, and the way we see ourselves.

This week, pay attention to your words. If you catch yourself using language you wouldn't use in front of someone you respect, swap it out. Choose words that build people up. Keep your own coffee can if it helps.