A Man's Word...or On a Handshake

Last night my youngest son and I started to watch The Cowboys (1972), starring John Wayne. He plays the character Will Andersen, a 60 year old cattle man. The following is a transcript of the beginning of the movie. I found it really interesting.

Five cowhands on horseback ride up to the Andersen ranch, tie up their horses and walk over to a corral where Will Andersen is working on breaking a horse. After a few minutes of handling the horse, hurting his hands in the process, he ties off the horse and leaves the corral, talking to his hired hands.

Will: Well I want each of you fellas to buy yourself a $1 Ingersoll watch. You can't break them with a hammer, and won't lose more than a minute a month.

Hired Hand #1: I know we're late Mr. Andersen.

Will: You're two hours late. Work starts around here at 6:00 a.m. Goes for everybody.

H.H. #1: Yes, sir. We spent the night in Bozeman. Town's empty as a bone orchard. Everybody's lit out for the Ruby River.

Will: What for?

H.H.#1: Gold.

Will: At the Ruby? Played out years ago.

H.H.#2: No, sir. This is a new strike. About 20 miles above there. Almost to the Beaverhead. Tell him Smiley.

H.H.#1: Well, the fact is, Mr. Andersen, me and the boys kind of thought we'd like to take a ride up that way, and have ouselves a little look-see.

Will: Got 1,500 head of steer to get to Belle Fourche before it snows on me. You've hired on to move them.

H.H#1: We'd like to help you out, Mr. Andersen....

Will: Like to help me out?

H.H.#2: The others done pulled out. There's only 5 of us left.

Will: That busts it.

H.H.#3: What do you expect? You work us like dogs night and day, and Christmas too.

Will: I pay you every Saturday!

H.H.#3: There's easier money around.

H.H.#1: We'll do it this way, Mr. Andersen. We'll take a ride up there, and we'll have a look around. Two or three weeks. If it don't work out, we'll get them other fellas and we'll be right back here. You have my word on that. Don't he boys?

Will: Your word?

H.H.#1: Yes sir.

Will: Well, here's my word. Get the hell off of my spread...Now.

The hired hands kinda look around, kick at the dirt and walk off.

Will: Miserable.

Hired hands ride off, Will goes to the house where his wife is waiting. Leans down into a water trough and places his gloved hands into the water...

Will: Well, they ran clean out from under me, whole damn bunch of them.

Wife: I heard most of it. Let me see that. (removes his gloves and looks at his injured hands)

Will: A fool comes to town with a fistful of gold dust and every jackass in 50 miles around lights out after him. In my day, a man would stay with you on a handshake.

Wife: It's a different day, Will.

Will: Yeah. Well I guess I'll go over to the Bigelow place, see what I can turn up...maybe Henry...

Wife: Henry Bigelow's 60 years old Will.

Will: So am I. (He heads off to the stable to get his horse)

Ok so, this scene of the movie brought up a thought in my head. The movie itself is set in the late 1800's, and was released in 1972 in theatres. So I guess that people have been dealing with men not keeping their word for as long as time then.

I know that one of the most frustrating things that I've ever encountered was when a man didn't keep his word to me. I'm sure that like the men in this movie, those who have let me down before had legitimate reasons, just like I'm sure mine have been legitimate when I've let others down as well. The fact is, we as men, should just keep our words regardless of what the outcome.

The Bible tells us to swear to our own hurt. (Psalm 15:4) Well, that sounds an awful lot like keeping your word when you give it doesn't it? What is different about us as men today, from those here in earlier years? Do we struggle with the same issues that those men of old struggled with? Did a man like Will Andersen have to think whether or not he should keep his word above all else?

I guess this is what was stirred up in my heart the most, the thought that perhaps I just need to "Cowboy Up" and keep my word. This is something that I've been working at teaching my sons, (my daughter as well, because I think girls should keep their word too). I keep asking myself, have I kept my words to my kids? How else will they learn if they don't see me honoring and keeping my words, even when it causes me pain?

Honor my word, keep my word....do what I say, without exception. That's a tall order, but it is one that is able to be kept...Strength and Honor.......