June 20, 2010

OF FATHERS AND SONS

Scripture – Proverbs 2:1-15; 1 Samuel 31:1-7

The Bible, particularly the Old Testament, deals frequently with families. And many of the accounts concern fathers and sons. Now, I am not ignoring the girls in this sermon, but I will articulate a recognition that there is special bonding between fathers and sons just as there is between mothers and daughters…certainly in the sense that youngsters learn from members of the same sex things that will help them determine their roles and assume their places later in life. Is there overlapping? Of course. But for the purposes of this Father’s Day message, I would like to kind of emphasize what is passed down from male to male and from generation to generation.

With that said, let’s return to the Old Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures are filled with accounts of dysfunctional families…and most of the fathers are anything but admirable. Think about some of them. Abraham had confrontations with his nephew, Lot; strong as he was in other matters, when it came to his wife, Sarah, he was a wuss; he sent his son Ishmael to certainly suffer and perhaps die in the wilderness when his second son, Isaac, came along and Sarah was jealous of any potential rivalry for Abraham’s affections. Isaac so favored one son, Jacob, over another son, Esau, that he let the younger “steal” the birthright of the older as well as the traditional paternal blessing. Jacob’s exorbitantly preferential treatment of Joseph led to the boy’s enslavement by his own brothers when they could no longer stand Joseph’s flaunting of the evidence of his father’s love and patronage. So we find that the three major patriarchs of Israel were “messed up” when it came to the raising of their male children. Indeed, in the entire book of Genesis there only seems to be one father who apparently got along well with his sons – Noah. After all, they helped him with the “ark project” when it seemed the most ridiculous thing in the world…and they were still speaking and cooperating after the flood ended and the waters subsided. Although, even here, we have Noah cursing one of them because Ham accidentally came upon his father, on one occasion, drunk and naked…and Noah was embarrassed. After Genesis, there’s little talk of fathers and sons until we come to the accounts featuring Saul and David…and there we have a real comparison.

Saul was a lousy king and a great father. David was a great king and a lousy father. There you have it in a nutshell. Saul made mistake after mistake during his reign as Israel’s ruler, and ultimately Samuel, the prophet who had anointed him king in the first place, withdrew his support and anointed David as Saul’s successor. But despite his flaws and failings in the governing “department”, and despite his frequent rages while suffering bouts of depression, Saul was always loved and admired by his sons who, as our scripture reading reveals, followed him to the very end. Conversely, David was a great king who really put Israel on the map while defeating its enemies and expanding its borders; while increasing its wealth and solidifying its influence. Indeed, he was a born politician and statesman. But he was also the head of a very dysfunctional and violent family. One son, Amnon, raped his stepsister, Tamar, and was subsequently murdered by her brother, Absalom, Amnon’s stepbrother. This son, Absalom, later led a rebellion against David in an attempt to usurp the throne, and, after losing in battle, was killed by Joab. Then, as David was coming to the end of his life, two sons, Solomon and Adonijah, jockeyed for position as his replacement and, sometime after Solomon won, Adonijah was executed at the direction of his stepbrother – the new king.

Because these biblical accounts are relatively short on detail, presenting more “bones” than “flesh”, it’s hard to see where Saul went right and David went wrong in the raising of their children. Nonetheless, the “proof is in the pudding” and the results pretty much speak for themselves. One thing we might point to is the example set by the fathers for their sons to emulate. Saul, despite his occasional psychological difficulties, held his sons close to him in good relationships and showed them that they must strive to do their best, even if their best might not always be good enough. David, as the episode with Bathsheba demonstrates, sometimes seemed to send the message that one can and should do anything necessary to obtain what he wants…a message apparently not lost on the likes of Amnon and Absalom, of Adonijah and Solomon – four men who did just that.

There are many ways we teach others, particularly those close to us. We can teach with words, we can teach with deeds, and sometimes (perhaps most of the time) we use a combination. And let’s not forget that we can also change, making right that which was wrong. At this point, then, I want to share with you two stories which support the theme I have been articulating.

First story

In the early days of the twentieth century, Al Capone practically owned Chicago. You have all heard of Al Capone…and not because he was any kind of hero. Capone was notorious for the crimes he committed as he and his gang enmeshed the “Windy City” in every sleazy thing from prostitution to bootlegged booze to murder. Capone had a lawyer nicknamed “Easy Eddie” – a very clever man who, through adept legal maneuvering, kept the mob boss out of prison for a long time. In return, Capone compensated his “mouthpiece” very well, not only with big money but also with expensive perks. For example, Eddie and his family resided in a fence-enclosed mansion with live-in servants and all of the conveniences of the day. In fact, the estate was so large that it covered an entire city block.

So, while Eddie lived the high life, courtesy of the mob, he gave little thought to the atrocities going on around him. But he had one soft spot in his heart – his son, whom he loved dearly. Indeed, Eddie saw to it that the young man had every advantage – good clothes, good education, good cars. Nothing was ever withheld; price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie did try to teach his son right from wrong – he wanted him to be a better man than he was. But, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things which, under the present circumstances, he could not pass on – a good name or a good example.

One day, because of this, Easy Eddie made a difficult decision. He decided to rectify the wrongs he had done and the mistakes he had made. He determined that he would go to the authorities and tell them the truth about “Scarface” Al Capone…thereby clearing up his name and perhaps presenting to his son some semblance of integrity and honor. He would testify against Capone, knowing that the cost might be great.

Testify he did. Within a year, Easy Eddie died in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago street. But 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, which declared:

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.

Second story

World War 2 produced many heroes. One of them was Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier, Lexington, and stationed in the South Pacific. One day he was sent on a mission with his entire squadron. After he was airborne for a period of time, he realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank and that 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 approaching the Lexington he saw something that turned his blood cold – a group of Japanese aircraft speeding on their way toward the American ships. Because all the American planes were gone on a sortie, the fleet was virtually defenseless. He could not reach his squadron and bring them back in time, nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do – he must somehow divert the enemy.

Laying aside all thought for personal safety, O’Hare dove into the Japanese formation. Wing-mounted 50 caliber guns blazed as he charged, attacking one surprised plane after another. He wove in and out, firing at as many of the opposing aircraft as possible before he ran out of ammunition. Undaunted, he continued his assault, trying to clip their wings or tails in order to render them unfit to fly.

The exasperated Japanese squadron finally took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon his arrival, he reported in and related the events surrounding his return. The film from the camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of O’Hare’s daring in his attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft. The date was February 20, 1942, and for his action, Butch O’Hare became the navy’s first World War 2 “Ace” and the first naval aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor! Tragically, a year later he was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.

His hometown would not let his memory fade, and today O’Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this native son. If you ever fly through there and have a chance to look around, you might consider visiting his memorial which displays his statue and his Medal of Honor – it’s located between terminals 1 and 2.

Connection

So what do these two stories have to do with one another? I am sure you have guessed the answer: Butch O’Hare was the son of Easy Eddie! It seems the father’s sacrifice had a positive effect.

This morning I’ve been primarily talking about fathers and son. The same lessons would apply to mothers and daughters, to mothers and sons, to fathers and daughters, to adults and children. One generation learns from preceding generations and, in turn, teaches the next generations. And this is most beneficially and effectively done by example. There is a great deal of truth to the axiom: Do as I do, not as I say.

I guess, then, that each of us ought to be constantly considering what example we set for the young people in our lives. King Saul did a pretty good job: King David was not so hot. How about you? How about me? Nobody expects us to be perfect…but we are expected to try to be better. And we can always change. Look at Easy Eddie. This is important. Much of the future might depend upon what we do in the here and now.

By: Herb Freitag