What About The Naughty Ones?

He’s the one that really drives you up the wall. The one that makes you dread going for Company meetings every week – because he might be there. The one that gets you so discouraged, sometimes you wonder whether being an Officer for “this kind of Member” is worth it. You even ask yourself whether there is any hope for him in the first place.

Some weeks are okay because he doesn’t do that much. Maybe he speaks rudely and swears at another Member. Perhaps he tries to ‘escape’ Bible Study, drill or band – but you manage to catch him. Those are the good weeks, when the greatest trouble is when he’s lost his uniform parts. Again. For the third time!

Then there are those weeks where prayer and Panadol are the only things that keep you from wanting to strangle him and report him as a missing person. You know, those weeks when you notice an extra gray hair or two – even though you’re only 25 years old. Like that week when he threatened to fight another Member with a brick. Or when he was caught stealing from the wallets and bags of other squad members.

You know the kind of Member I’m talking about, right? The naughty ones.

Troublemakers.

I was having a discussion over email with a fellow officer the other day and something he said struck me. We were reflecting on the recent passing of one of our Boys. We noted how much of an impact he left on his loved ones and friends. His funeral was a great testament to a life lived exceedingly well. He was a great kid.

And it's usually the special kids like this that we remember well. We seem to care only about the 'good ones' – or at least the ones that make us feel good about ourselves. However, my friend and I started to ask ourselves: What about the troublemakers? What about the ones who were caught smoking, who caused nothing but trouble, and were pains in everyone's collective rear end? Would we still care as much for them? Would we expend as much blood, sweat and tears for them?

In the Epistle of James chapter 2, we are reminded not to show favoritism. Allow me to paraphrase it for our context: “My dear Officers, NCOs, and Members, do not show favoritism. Suppose a Member comes into your meeting with many badges, a well-ironed uniform and a good attendance record, while another Member enters with dyed hair, a ‘tidak apa’ attitude and a bad attendance record. If you show special attention to the one with many badges, a well-ironed uniform and a good attendance record and say, “Here’s a prize for you,” but say to the ‘tidak apa’ Member with the dyed hair and bad attendance, “You stand there,” or “Just go down for 30 push ups,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen my dear Officers, NCOs, and Members: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world – like troublemakers – to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? Has not God chosen us to advance His Kingdom among such Members, and not just the ‘good’ ones?

It is easier said than done, sometimes. Yet, our challenge isn’t really new at all. I think back 120 years ago to a small church on North Woodside Road in Glasgow, Scotland. A Sunday School teacher looks out and spots several young boys playing outside when they should be inside attending church. These kids weren’t ‘good’ kids – otherwise, they would have been in Sunday School, worshipping with the congregation, reciting Bible memory verses, and doing what good kids should be doing. Instead, they were rowdy. They probably behaved a little bit like samsengs.

But they became the initial members of the 1^st Glasgow Boys Brigade Company.

I wonder if our Companies are the same? What are our Members like today? Are they only the ‘good’ kids, whose parents are upstanding church members and feel that their children could use a healthy distraction once a week? As an Officer, do I love and care for my troublemakers as much as I do the good ones?

I hope so.

Originally published: 9 June 2003