Introduction:
Roger Courtney, one of Andy’s fishing buddies, puts Andy and Barney up for membership in the Esquire Club, an exclusive men’s club in Raleigh. Barney, of course, overreacts and alienates the entire group by trying too hard to fit in.

Lesson Points:
Humility—Barney (Luke 14:11, Romans 12:3, Ephesians 4:2, Philippians 2:3-5)

Effective Listening—Barney (Proverbs 21:23, James 1:19)
God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.

Friendship—Andy and Barney (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, John 15:12-13)

Discussion:
1. Why was Barney worried about the Esquire Club not accepting Andy?

2. Compare Andy’s and Barney’s behavior at the Esquire Club, including Barney’s insights:

• On stocks—“Well, I see U.S. Steel went up 2½ today. Of course, Consolidated Industries took a slight dip, off an eighth.”

• On golf—“Golf, huh? What do you shoot, Tom? [Tom: “Oh, low 80s.”] Oh, that’s not too bad. How about you, Jim? [Jim: “95-96”] And he’s teaching you how to play! Why you ought to be taking lessons from him. Then you’ll be shooting up in the nineties, maybe even hit a hundred.”

• On dessert—“Sure you have Andy. You just forgot. That’s Baked Alaska. It’s that new dessert that come out since it become a state.”

3. In sports, coaches often tell their players to “let the game come to you.” Would this same advice be applicable in Barney’s case?

4. Discuss Andy and Barney’s friendship and why neither would join a club without the other.

Final Thought:
Barney: “Imagine that! Imagine that! Turning down a nice guy like you. If you ain’t good enough for ‘em, neither am I. I’m sending in my resignation.”