Heartsong Troop 365

Message to the Life Scouts of Troop 365

February 9, 2009

With this being my last meeting with you, I would like to talk to you young men about what it means to just be an Eagle Scout and more importantly, what it means to be a man.

I’d like to read you a scripture from 1Corinthians 13: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”

I think ya’ll can understand that. When you were a 2 year old child, you acted like a 2 year old…..right? When you were 10 year old child, you acted like a 10 year old. When you are 14, 15 or 16 year old men, you act like a man….right? Or do you still act like a 2 or 10 year old?

Baden Powell had a well thought out plan when he founded the Boy Scouts. He knew that young boys grow up into men. You came into Scouting as a Scout. You probably didn’t know how to tie one knot except a granny. You would get lost very easily and wouldn’t know what to do if you did. You didn’t know how to put a tent up. You were a child. Then you advanced to Tenderfoot and a whole new world opened up to you. You started to learn things you never knew. You put your tent up and slept in it in a place far from home. Something inside you woke up and you started to realize that you could do things without your mommy & daddy. You looked at the older Scouts and you wanted to be like them. They knew so much and they were willing to teach you. You made 2^nd Class and then 1^st Class and you were more confident in your abilities and you started to hear and think about the rank of Eagle Scout. You thought to yourself, maybe I could be an Eagle one day. You still were basically a follower instead of a leader and you were still looking at the older Scouts for direction. You started working on Merit Badges. You made Star. You started to help younger Scouts and you were becoming more mature in your outlook of things. You started to realize that I’m here to help others and not be a goof up and act like a 10 year old anymore. You finally made Life Scout. You are now a leader. You are a man. The 10, 11 and 12 year olds are looking at you and saying, “I want to be like them”. Do you want them saying that?

I can remember when I was a Tenderfoot in Troop 595 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our SPL was David Kirchner. He was probably 15 or 16, but there was something different about him. He still liked to have fun when the time was right, but I could tell he knew that we were his responsibility and he knew we were watching him. He taught us to tie knots, treat heat stroke, read a compass and many other things. He acted respectfully to the SM and other leaders. He treated us with respect. I wanted to be just like him one day. He did not have to tell me a lot of things….I just followed his example.

As Life Scouts and young men, are you being the example to the younger Scouts? You don’t have to say anything to them. They are watching you.

Last year, Michael Phelps won more gold medals than anyone else in history. Tens of thousands of young people looked up to him. Last week he admitted to smoking pot. He just sent a message to those kids that breaking the law is ok.

Many of our lawmakers in Washington are lawbreakers. What message are they sending to young people?

My question to you tonight is, “Are you going to be part of the group of men in this country that show through their example that it is ok to act like a selfish, immature 10 year old or are you going to do what the Apostle Paul said and “put away childish things” and act like a man.”

Sully Sullenberger last month was flying a plane and both engines went out. He had 155 lives in his hands. He acted maturely, responsibly and he was able to land his plane in a river and got everyone off the plane alive. He walked the aisles twice to make sure everyone was off the plane before he exited. He is a hero. Now, while everyone in Washington was trying to figure out how to hide the fact that they weren’t paying their taxes, Mr. Sullenberger, after he had gotten back home, called a library that he had checked a book out from and told them that the book was in his plane and it was destroyed. He wanted to pay for the overdue fines and buy a new book in its place. Yes, Mr. Sullenberger is an Eagle Scout.

Do you guys see the difference here? The difference is that in Life, there are men and women who have chosen to continue to act as children and there are those who have chosen to put away childish things and act as responsible men and women.

Men, this Troop does not need childish Life Scouts who walk around disrespecting leaders and scouts. It needs young men like you to rise up and be the leaders and examples to those in the Troop that are still children. Nor does America does not need childish men who have no self control in their daily lives. America is headed down the wrong path and we need leaders, patriots and Eagle Scouts who will orient our moral compass back to where it is suppose to be.

When you walk out this door tonight, I want you to make the decision that you will put your childish ways behind you and become men.

God bless you guys and don’t hesitate to call me if you ever need me to talk to you about anything.

Yours in Scouting,

Gregg Bialk

Eagle Advisor