A Life Changing Obligation

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

Bro Robert Johnson 32°

"Cold Turkey", that's what we call it when we have to stop doing something immediately, whether for the benefit of health or any other reason. Seldom do we think about it in terms of behaviors. But that's just what happens to some of us.

As a man in today's society, and let's face it, it is a huge society, almost eight-billion people world wide, you would think that there isn't much examination on any one particular person. After all, we just blend in right? Wrong. People see us and we influence more people than you would think.

When we think about all the things we do on a daily basis, the things we say--the words "You kiss you mother with that mouth?" may ring a bell. What about social media? All to often there are people posting about things less than gentlemanly and in an all to frequent occurrence. But then, we hear the call, Freemasonry beckons us, calls us and pulls us in.

Upon being brought to light and being made a Master Mason, we must flip a switch, like a snap of the fingers to start acting better, to start being mindful and to show the virtues that we as a fraternity exemplify and that the public has seen since time immemorial. We must in a certain respect, change our behavior "Cold Turkey".

We are a fraternity of men who in fact do, "make good men better", and of course this is a constant work in progress, no one is perfect. But the obligations we take as Master Masons are certainly life changing. I know, as a social media user, the all to powerful call to post something which I find hilarious but perhaps may be offensive or rude to some and the real power is to conform to that obligation we took upon ourselves and to be the better man you promised you would be.

    “Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.”

-Thucydides

~RHJ



Bro. Robert Johnson, 32° is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the First North-East District of Illinois. He belongs to Waukegan Lodge No. 78. He is also a member of the York Rite bodies Royal Arch, Cryptic Council, Knights Templar, AMD, The Illinois Lodge of Research and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago as well as a charter member of the Society of King Solomon, a charity organization run by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts a weekly Podcast (internet radio program) Whence Came You? which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. In addition, he produces video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and writes original Masonic papers from time to time. He is a husband and father of three. He works full time in the safety industry and is also a photographer on the side as well as an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays.