Introduction
Barney helps Opie make an old-fashioned slingshot as Andy looks on. Andy wants his son to enjoy himself, but he cautions him to be careful with it. Opie assures his pa that he will only shoot at "tin cans and stuff." Barney tells Opie that there was another boy who was famous with a sling back in the "olden times", but there is some question about where David got the rubber to make his sling. Barney goes on to tell Opie that he was an expert with a slingshot when he was a lad. He attempts to demonstrate his best trickshot, the tailgunner, for Opie and Andy.

Opie has fun just pretending to shoot at people and other outdoor targets. Suddenly, he notices something in a tree in his front yard. He takes aim and shoots. Much to Opie’s surprise, a bird falls to the ground. At first, Opie refuses to believe the bird is dead. He tries to help it fly away. He pleads for it to fly. When he realizes that he has killed the bird, he is devastated. He runs, sobbing, to his room...

Lesson Points
Being Sorry

            Heed the Warnings

            Actions Produce Consequences (Gal. 6:7-10)

            Can’t Change the Past

Taking Responsibility

            Taking the Initiative

            Attitude of Humility and Compassion

            Dedication, Devotion, and Hard Work (1 Cor. 3:8)

Doing the Right Thing (Prov. 3:5,6)

            Making Tough Decisions

            Faith that the Results will be Good

            Satisfaction in Accomplishment

Making a Difference – (A Parent’s Perspective)

            Importance of Our Influence (Matt. 5:13-16)

            Leading the Way

            Letting go (Isaiah 40:31)

Discussion
Obviously Opie was sorry and felt terrible about what had happened. Given the circumstance, comment on Andy’s "punishment" for Opie?

What did you think about Opie’s response the next morning? What other actions could he have taken?

What were some reasons that Opie was hesitant to give up the birds? How can we relate given the situations in our own lives?

Before he released each bird, did Opie know the outcome? Do you think the final result was better than he imagined? What are the applications for us?

What are some things you noticed about Andy, from a parenting point of view?

Final Thought
Opie: "The cage sure looks awful empty, don’t it Pa?"
Andy: "Yes son, it sure does. But, don’t the trees seem nice and full!"