TEMPERANTIA

Temperance

“Restraint. Temperance. Justice. Constant mindfulness of others and one’s surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, moderation and deferred gratification. Prudence to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time. Proper moderation between self-interest, versus public-interest, and against the rights and needs of others.

Dictionary:
1. Moderation and self-restraint, as in behavior or expression.
2. Restraint in the use of or abstinence from alcoholic liquors.”


A Scout is…
*Trustworthy
*Loyal
*Helpful
*Friendly
*Courteous
*Obedient
*Thrifty
*Reverent

Eight out of the twelve points of the Scout Law are very applicable to this Virtue. Arguably all twelve points of the Scout Law apply to all Seven Heavenly Virtues, but these 8 I think are special to this 1, and it kind of shows in the four people I think best exemplifies this virtue.


That last part of the first definition, “Proper moderation between self-interest, versus public-interest, and against the rights and needs of others.” About 2 years ago I went on a short mission trip to Mexico with some of the youth group from First Christian Church Santa Maria. It can be a very long drive when it is in a school bus, it gets even longer once you are on the Mexican side of the border. It can be even worse driving into the sun with that giant windscreen if you are a white guy who burns easily. My and the Kiger’s friend Bill is just such an easily sun burned guy, yet he is also a very carrying person who happens to have a bus driver’s license. Bill is always willing to help others. Why? Because he loves doing it, it must be the Boy Scout in him. He is helpful, friendly, courteous; all of those are character traits found in someone who can control their tongue. “Moderation and self restraint”.

Along these same lines would have to be the Robin…


…to my Batman…


Matt was my Vice Lodge Chief when I was Lodge Chief in Scouting, my right hand man, and the 2nd in command of the Lodge. “Restraint. Temperance. Constant mindfulness of others and one’s surroundings…” Before a meeting, speech, or any other occasion really, I would usually turn to him and ask him the following question, “who am I going to piss off today if I say this?” Yes, it is true I had my Advisers to ask that question to, but it was a bit different when I asked Matt. He has “prudence to judge between actions with regard to appropriate actions at a given time.”

If Matt can best be described as my “Robin”, and if he has such ability with Temperance, I think he got it from our “Alfred”. Wayne is by far without a doubt one of my favorite and most trusted Advisers. I now realize that him keeping me from running through the corn prevented quite a bit of itchiness, chemical or no chemical. Wayne is the Adviser who taught me how to be a Chaplain (Sohaila, he is the one to thank, and you can hunt him down on my Facebook if you really want to let him know how good of a job he did). For those of you who think I make inappropriate jokes at awful times… you should have seen what I was like before spending so much time learning from Wayne.

Matt, Wayne and I have had quite a few adventures together, hence us being Batman, Robin, and Alfred :) Someone else I have spent quite a bit of time learning from in recent years though is outside of the “Gotham trio club” but is still a good Boy Scout (despite how many years it has been since earning his last merit badge).
As for as analogies go… with Jay I think I’ll have to switch over from the DC Universe to the Korean War. Jay is the “Col. Potter” to my “Hawkeye” (except I’m not as liberal as Hawkeye).



A bit of an easy comparison to make, not simply because of my humor and his wisdom (and humor) for example, something that Jay would say that Col Potter has said: “Never insult seven men when all you have is a six shooter”. But also because the majority of the time that I have spent with him has not been sitting around comfortably sipping coffee, it has been hard at work. You see… Jay was the chairman of the World Outreach Department for our church for a few years, and during his time in office, he led both the Thailand and Kenya trips that I went on (the highlight picture was taken on our Thailand trip - my room mate for the trip, Matt D., is on the Left). I have sat through meetings with Jay where I can’t help but look over and be like, “Chief!? How can you put up with this cowboy’s shit?!” he however gives everyone a chance to speak their mind for better or worse.

This could very well be classified under “Patience”, but it is much more than just how Patient he is. He allows “justice” to occur, he has “proper moderation between self-interest, versus public-interest”. The first time I read the definition of Temperance, Jay was the first person that came to my mind. I honestly wish that I was a better writer so that I could fully explain how many times I have witnessed him exemplify not only the twelve points of the Scout Law, but also the Virtue of Temperance. Maybe you will just have to go on a mission trip with him for yourself to see what I do in him.

Temperance... that whole self restraint, self control, abstention, moderation and deferred gratification. That is what keeps Batman from killing the Joker. That is what keeps him going out night after night to fight crime and evil. That is a tough one for me. Christ showed it while being tempted in the wilderness and while hanging on the cross. At any moment he could have called it off, but he didn't, he hung there sacrificing himself for us. Through the example of my 4 fellow Scout’s temperance… I see Christ.



Robin: “Self-control is sure tough sometimes Batman!”
Batman: “All virtues are. Indeed, that’s why they’re virtues.”