manhood Week 3: Growing in Character and Integrity Talk NOTES

Week 3: Learning as an ideal

Growing in Character and Integrity

Objectives of the talk:

A man of character is one who does the right thing when everyone is watching;

And when no one is watching and he says the right thing as well.

 

Who are you when everyone is watching: Story of Easy Eddie

Who are you when no one is watching: Story of Butch O’ Hare

 

Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn’t famous for anything
heroic. He was*notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed “Easy Eddie.” He was Capone’s lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was
very good! In fact, Eddie’s skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block. Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago*mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.

Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t give his son; he couldn’t pass on a good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al “Scarface” Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie’s life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.
*The poem read:

“The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time.* For the clock may soon be still.”
Easy eddie chose to change his character: Doing right when everyone is watching

STORY NUMBER TWO

World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet. As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless.* He couldn’t reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber’s blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly. Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Botch’s daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.

This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy’s first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.* His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O’Hare Airport in*Chicago*is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

Butch had integrity: Doing what was right when no one was watching

So, the next time you find yourself at O’Hare International, give some thought to visiting Botch’s memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It’s located between Terminals 1 and 2.
SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?

Butch O’Hare was “Easy Eddie’s” son.

 

Things to remember:

Actives do not forget what you do

At Arkansas, if you did not make your grades, we voted whether or not you got to pledge second semester

Plan your weekend before it starts

Plan your date before it starts. Remember you are dating some one elses wife

Who you are when no one is around is most likely who you are really

Be who you are and not fake it to look cool in front of the actives

Find some one to keep you accountable

One of you can spoil it for all of us by your choices

 

Ex. Dexter decided to go public with his testimony and he had his best game ever when it went on line

 

Just like Dexter; Kendric and Devon

I believe there is a direct correlation with them making decisions and being blessed

But today I want to talk to you about the reality that sometimes the rewards don’t always come immediately

 

But before I do that, I have two stories I want to share with you then we will talk about Joshua

 

Just like Butch, Joshua made the right decisions when no one was watching but he also did exactly what God asked him to do.

 

Joshua 6

 

Galatians 6:9  And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.

 

 

Physically Position ally eternally and specifically

 

Found in Easy Eddies pocket:

“The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still.”

 

Are you tired of doing what is right?

-remember Joshua had to wait for the promised land. It did not come immediately

 

Butch had integrity: doing what is right when no one is watching

Are you doing right,  right now?   Rember the poem that was found in Easy Eddy’s pocket

 

Is there anything in your life that is keeping you from giving God control of your life and living for Him?  For easy eddy, it was the big house, the servants and the nice cars. But in the end he was willing to give it all a way for his son.

 

Let me pray for you