“Quiet Sam”
Introduction
Barney becomes suspicious of the strange behavior of Sam
Becker, a shy secretive farmer living on the outskirts of Mayberry, even to the
point of putting him under surveillance.
Lesson Points
Falsehood or Faith? (Luke 17:6, NIV)
He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this
mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
Discussion
- Barney often overreacts in situations, but let’s put
ourselves in his position. Do you know people who rarely make eye contact or
who answer questions with only a word or two? How does that make you feel?
- Tell us about a time you made a decision about someone
because all the “facts” pointed to the “only possible answer” to find that you
were completely off base?
- Andy told Sam he had delivered hundreds of babies and
Sam didn’t have anything to worry about. We tell children there is a Santa or
an Easter Bunny or a tooth fairy; it is part of the innocence of being a
child. Is it lying and is it wrong? The New International Bible translates the
Commandment that we memorized as a child (Thou shalt not lie) as “You shall
not give false testimony against your neighbor.” Does this influence your
opinion?