Finding the Way Back to Mayberry

Lesson 1 - Opie’s Charity

Introduction
Annabelle Silby is the chairperson for the Underprivileged Children’s Charity Drive that is currently underway in Mayberry. She is a proud woman. Two years earlier, her husband Tom was supposedly run over by a taxicab while on a business trip in Charlottesville. Annabelle never publicly acknowledged that Tom was a heavy drinker and not quite the upstanding citizen she had him made out to be. She was simply too proud. In fact, she gave Tom the finest funeral Mayberry had ever seen.

When Annabelle informs Andy that Opie has contributed only a measly three pennies to the Underprivileged Children’s Charity Drive, Andy gets upset. After referring to his youngster as "Moneybags" and "Diamond Jim," Andy encourages Opie to give more money to such an important cause. Opie explains to his pa that he cannot contribute any more because he’s saving all the money in his piggy bank, $2.20, to buy a present for his girlfriend Charlotte. Andy is not pleased with his playboy son...

Lesson Points
Pride (1 John 2:16)

            Pretend we are someone we are not

            Fearful of what folks might think

Prejudging Others (Matt. 7:1-5)

            Jump to conclusions

            Failure to listen

            Loss of faith

Seizing the Opportunity! (Matt. 25:34-36)

            True awareness of others (not self)

            Not concerned with "human applause"

            Identifying a need, and meeting it

Discussion
How can you identify with Annabelle’s reaction to Tom’s departure?

While thinking about Andy’s initial conversation with Annabelle about the Charity Drive, how easy is it to assess a situation, and immediately jump to a conclusion?

What did Andy consider important? What did Opie consider important?

What can we learn from the classic dialogue:
Andy: Opie, you never told me what the money was for.
Opie: You never asked.