The Weakest Link

Scouts, have you ever seen a suit of armor? Tonight’s Scoutmaster’s Minute is about a medieval suit of armor called “chain mail”. This is a suit of armor consisting of lots of adjoining chain links. The object was to create a suit that entirely covered a knight’s body with these connecting links. The desired effect was that the suit could not be penetrated by arrow or lance or sword. The chain mail would deflect the other knight’s weapon or prevent the weapon from penetrating the suit.

Of course there were problems that were caused by the shape of the human body. There were some places in the chain mail suit of armor that were weaker than other spots. Archers and swordsmen were trained to concentrate on the “weakest links” in their opponent’s armor. The neck and the armpit, for example, were spots where the locking links were not as strong because of the curves and bends of the body.

That is were we get the term, “the weakest link”. A suit of armor was only as strong as its weakest link.

If your patrol was a suit of chain mail, and each patrol member represented an individual link, what part of the suit of armor would you represent? Would you be considered the patrol’s weakest link? Would you be the patrol member considered to be the most vulnerable and the least likely to make a positive contribution? Or would you be considered a strong patrol member? One who does his part. One who tries his best and steps up when someone is needed. What part do you play?

Scout’s, don’t be the weakest link in your patrol or in your troop.

© Bill Shaffer 2004