Live Out Your Honor, By George.

I recently had the privilege to give the challenge to inductees at a local high school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. I spoke at the same occasion at this school a few year’s back. You can find that transcript here.

But in preparing for this occasion, I felt moved by our nation’s current condition. These young men and women are our future leaders, teachers, employees and employers, representatives, business owners, workers, soldiers, and voters. They will establish families, pay taxes, raise children, coach teams, attend church, and be productive members of their respective communities, state and nation. They needed a role model to emulate. So I went all historical on them.

The following is a portion of my message, edited (skipped the lame rivalry jokes and references to student life) for our purposes:

“Inductees, let me first congratulate you. What a marvelous honor. You didn't buy your way in, you didn't know someone on the inside who owed you any favors, the administration didn't decide to offer membership to all students in the interest of some misguided idea of fairness. You earned this. You obviously take learning seriously. Don't ever stop learning.

I'd like to talk with you today about 2 guys I've been reading about in a fascinating book by Glenn Beck. Let's call them Ben and George.

Both Ben and George were generals in the same army, an army that could also be referred to as a ragtag band of unproven and outmanned freedom fighters, or according to their opponents, who were arguably the most powerful military in the world - rebels and villains. The odds were certainly stacked against Ben and George and their rebels.

Ben was known as one of the finest and bravest field leaders of his time. He was also known to be brash and corrupt by many of his peers.

Let me tell you a quick story about Ben that exemplifies his life: At one point in the long campaign, during a battle that appeared to be all but lost, Ben engaged in a violent argument with his superior, and was promptly relieved of his field duties. This didn't sit well with Ben. After all, his army was in the midst of trying to turn back an attempt by the enemy to split the rebellion in half. So, enraged, Ben chose to turn to the bottle, which quickly chased off any inhibitions he may have had. With an alcohol-induced defiance, he then mounted his horse and, disobeying orders, led his men in a direct assault against what he noticed to be a weakness in the enemy line. To the cheers of the other rebel units, Ben and his men pushed the highly trained soldiers back. Ben then rode to the other side of his army’s line, and without permission, took over the troops of another general and rallied them to attack, sending his enemy from their stronghold. The last target for Ben was the enemy’s right flank, well fortified by an elite group of infantrymen. So, he gathered two more regiments and hit the holdout with full force. Ben's troops cried out, "He's fearless! He's like a madman! But by all that's true, he's going to win this battle." And win it he did.

During his victory, though, Ben was shot in his leg and his horse was shot out from underneath him, falling on him and crushing that already wounded leg.

To add insult to his injury, Ben's commanding officer neglected to mention Ben's heroic charge and, instead, took all the credit for the victory. As a result, Ben was passed over for promotion, and some of the officers he commanded were promoted to higher positions to boot. Unfortunately for Ben, this seemed to be par for the course for the poor fellow.

Off the field of battle, Ben faced other setbacks. For instance, his attempts to woo a beautiful young lady were categorically refused. Everywhere he turned, his successes seemed to lead to dead ends

The poor guy couldn't win for losing, or I guess, more accurately, he seemed to lose for winning. So, dejected and rejected, Ben made some major choices at that moment that would greatly affect his luckless lot in life.

Given a similar situation today, how would we respond? Students, what if you were never recognized for your dedication to your education? You see your peers get inducted into honor societies and receive awards and scholarships, and you, after hours and hours of study, high grades, and top-notch test scores receive nothing. Are you satisfied with only the knowledge you’ve acquired? Wouldn’t you feel unfairly treated? Now, pile on a rejection from your target prom date. Add in disrespect from your parents and abandonment from a few friends. How would you respond?

While you're thinking about that, and before I tell you how poor Ben responded, let's discuss George.

Early in his military career, George suffered a humiliating defeat as a colonel. But during that battle, those who served with him marveled at his bravery while those around him were fleeing. Not one to put self above service, George withstood the bombardment on the front lines while rallying troops, directing rescues, and mobilizing a saving defense. His valor amidst a sea of cowardice saved the remaining troops from complete annihilation. Two horses were shot out from under him that day, and 2 shells had passed through his coat and one through his hat. Those who were with him after the battle sensed that there was something special about George. Some claimed he could not be killed in battle. Others saw him as protected by a great spirit or having the hand of God upon him. George dismissed these comments with humility and disgust, claiming rather that he had failed as a leader, and was full of nothing but indignity, shame, and regret, and that he was unequal to the task of leading men in battle.

And yet, the men who had survived declared that George had lived to fight another day and that they would fight alongside him until the very end.

Eventually, George would fight again. Many times. His campaign as commanding officer, however, started as a story of retreats. His army abandoned forts and fled cities. He was outnumbered, out-skilled, and out-supplied. Many leaders of the rebellion wished to replace him. They put in a committee to take over his command. Being typical politicians and bureaucrats, they prevented much needed supplies from going to George and his army and padded their own pockets and promoted themselves and their own supporters. But George never once lost sight of the cause of his fight. Nor did he once lose respect for his men. Even though he expected unbelievable feats of heroism from his troops, he never assigned that which he himself would not do.

At one point, some of George's officers were advising retreat – again. Thousands of men had been captured or had deserted the army, their contracted time having expired. Plus, the rebellion's capital, miles away, needed defending. Morale was low; defeat seemed to be on the horizon. During times like these, though, leaders like George shine. Claiming that men enlist for victories not humiliation, George decided to risk an inconceivable attack. An ardent student of tactics, but yet forward thinking as well, George knew that instead of pursuing the rebels and delivering an ominous crushing blow, the enemy rested. He had also learned that the gentleman's rules of engagement, the traditional tactics of war, were not the tactics his army would be able to successfully employ. So, he decided to brave icy waters, trudge eight miles in sleet and snow, mostly uphill, in complete darkness, many of his soldiers wearing rags wrapped around frostbitten feet because they had never received the requested boots, and strike the enemy before the winter sun rose the next morning.

Improbable at best, victory was one of 2 choices George offered that day. The other was death. Battered but inspired, George's men overcame the blinding weather, the inability for 2 more armies to join them, and a ludicrous lack of supplies, and surprised the enemy, finally feeding their hunger for victory.

The hardships seemed to be unending for George, however. Lack of supplies continued to haunt him and the weather continued to plague him. He was second-guessed at nearly every turn by those leaders who were supposed to be on the same side as he. Yet, he held the admiration and loyalty of those who fought for him. Many if not most in his position would most likely have given in to selfish motives or given up. But George never wavered.

George also took an interest in Ben. He took notice of Ben's courage and skills as a military leader. He wanted Ben to be properly honored for his devotion to the rebels' cause. So, George took Ben in. He made Ben military governor of the rebels' capital while his leg healed. Later, George wished to make Ben commander of the left wing of his main army. Oddly, Ben refused the honor and asked to take command of one of the rebels' forts. That wasn’t the Ben that George had come to know and respect. Though confused and concerned by his friend's response, George allowed for Ben's request.

Soon afterward, a messenger delivered a package to George. In this package were documents that had been intercepted by rebel spies. The intended recipient was an enemy general. The sender was none other than Ben. George finally understood the strange behavior of his friend. Ben had chosen to become a spy for the opposition. Caving to the promise of fame and fortune, Ben chose to turn his back on the ideals for which he had once fought. Faced with extreme disappointment, lack of recognition, denial of what he considered his just rewards, Ben turned to revenge. A sense of duty gave way to a sense of entitlement. Service gave way to self-promotion. Principles gave way to interests. These were the choices of Ben, and the results of his choices led to the pitiful and unhappy existence of someone branded as a traitor.

George was heartbroken, once again emotionally defeated. And yet he persevered. As news spread about Ben the turncoat, George found a way to turn it in to something positive, making the event inspirational to his cause.

His leadership embodied a dedication to principles, loyalty to his cause and his followers, a scholarly and innovative approach to solving problems and promoting success, patience, thoughtful consideration of the perspectives of his officers and allies, and character beyond measure. Eventually, the voices of George's critics became more difficult to hear amid the praise of his supporters.

Think about Ben and George for a moment. Similar situations. Both men served a common cause and sacrificed for it. Both faced major hurdles. Both responded boldly, demonstrating rare courage. Both were treated unfairly by some of their peers and superiors. And both men were given numerous life-altering choices. One chose a path of shame and the other chose a path of integrity.

Both of these men could have very well been inducted into the National Honor Society had they been here today. Their lives, at least at some point, reflected the four pillars - they were dedicated scholars of their craft - and it showed in their successes; they were certainly given to service - is there a higher service than the willingness to sacrifice one's life for his fellow man? Both men were proven leaders, even though their styles differed in some ways; and while Ben's character was questionable even early on, I think his choices early in his career tended to chip away a once decent character. George's character was tried and true, solid, and the guide for his life.

So, I'm using a lesson from our country's war for independence to make a point about choices. Ben, also known as Benedict Arnold, a name now synonymous with traitor, began with those qualities we value today but strayed down an unfortunate and disastrous path because of his poor choices. George, AKA the father of our country - George Washington, held fast to those values and reflected on them when making his choices. His legacy is quite the opposite of Benedict Arnold's.

So, while embodying those pillars of the National Honor Society may earn you entry into such a prestigious group, your choices will determine if you shall live your life honorably.

So I challenge you today, whenever you are faced with a choice, do 2 things: One - choose from your pillars and two - choose to always be on guard.

Number 1 sounds obvious. When making a choice, choose wisely - use your knowledge, be scholarly in researching the best choice.  George Washington not only took it upon himself to study tactics, he was a keen observer, learning from his observations; he learned from his many failures and life lessons and improved; he valued the perspectives of his trusted advisers and was a tremendous listener.

Choose service. What is going to provide the most benefit to those around you? What will make the most positive impact? Often it will require sacrifice - don't shy away from that.

Choose the path of leadership. Many don't make the connection between leadership and service, but in order to be a successful leader, service should be a major focus in the decision making process. Expect much from those you lead but be willing to do just as much as a minimum. Lead by example.

Finally, choose character. Your character will be challenged. So, how do you pass those tests?

That's where number 2 comes into play: Always be on guard.

At one time, Washington and Arnold were 2 of the revolutionary era's greatest heroes. Both men were admired throughout the colonies. Both men had extremely difficult paths to glory, being challenged on all fronts. Both men made immeasurable sacrifices for their cause. Benedict Arnold decided to turn his back on the revolution; George Washington continued to embrace it without regard to his own circumstances. Beck writes that 'perhaps no 2 men in our country's history better illustrate the consequences of our choices than Benedict Arnold and George Washington. Arnold valued material possessions; Washington valued eternal ones. Arnold allowed his resentment to consume him and turn him toward selfishness; Washington used his failures to fuel him toward greatness.' He goes on to say, 'Two men, two choices, two destinies, and one seemingly invaluable lesson for today: always be on guard. It's easy to let seemingly mundane annoyances pile up until they boil over. It's easy to make the right decision 99 straight times before greed finally gets the best of you. It's easy to let selfishness cloud your judgment or to surround yourself with people who have ulterior motives. Always be on guard. George Washington was; Benedict Arnold was not. One is now a national hero; one is now a national disgrace.'

Your path may not lead you from this building today to become a national hero. But by living your life based on the pillars of the National Honor Society - scholarship, service, leadership, and character - and always being on guard against that which tries to lead you away from these standards, your life will be the life of a hero. You may not achieve the legendary status of George Washington. But you can be George Washington. You can achieve greatness by reaching for a standard that many others simply dismiss as unattainable. You've already demonstrated that by being invited here today. By living a life of integrity, humility, and honor you can make a difference. It might not make you millions of dollars or put your name up in lights, but it will earn you the respect of those you care about most.

So, congratulations on your achievement. You're on the right path. You’ve made good choices. Now don't let up and make it count, by George.”

The book to which I reference throughout my speech is Being George Washington by Glenn Beck. Whether you agree with his political views or not, Beck weaves together a fascinating story of the father of our country. It doesn’t read like a boring history text. It is enthralling and inspirational. The life lessons we can learn from Washington are indispensable. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially those who have a keen interest in leadership, the foundations of our nation, and rules to live by. It’s also perfect for a compelling read about a great and good man.