Introduction: Aunt Bee is having another birthday, and she tells Andy to be "sensible," and not do anything "foolish" or buy anything "fancy." Afterward, she changes her mind when she sees a beautiful, light-blue bed jacket in Lukens’ Style Shop. Andy buys her two dozen preserve jars and then must trade his prized fishing pole to Mayor Stoner to obtain the bed jacket that Aunt Bee really wants.

Lesson Points:
What’s in it for ME? – Mayor Stoner – Luke 9:23-25
    I am the greatest! – Luke 22:24-30
    I can’t be a servant! – Matthew 6:24
    I want to be a taker, not a giver! – 1 Samuel 12:24
    I’ll help you IF you help me out FIRST! – Proverbs 21:3, 1 Samuel 20:4 and 17

Don’t make a fuss Over ME – Aunt Bee – 1 John 2:15-17
    I don’t want to be first – Mark 9:35
    I feel others are more important – Proverbs 25:6-7
    I expect to serve, rather than be served – Matthew 23:11-12
    I know I said, "Don’t make a fuss over me," BUT …. – 1 Peter 3:8-17

Serving you (and God) Rewards ME! – Andy – John 3:16-18, Colossians 3:23-25
    Abraham’s testing – Genesis 22:1-18
    Parable of the Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25-37
    Christ, the best example of servant leadership – Mark 10:45, John 13:1-17
    Can I measure up to these standards? – Mark 8:34-38
    How charitable, selfless, merciful, and humble do I have to be? – Ephesians 5:1-2,
    Hebrews 13:16, Galatians 6:2, John 13:34-35, Luke 3:10-11, Joshua 24:14-15

Discussion:
1) Throughout the episode, what different items, services, or favors did the Mayor want? Were they to satisfy himself or someone else? Really? What did you notice about his four monetary offers for Andy’s fishing rod?

2) Opie had a difficult time deciding between the salt/pepper shaker set and the baseball cap. Would Aunt Bee have appreciated anything Opie gave her, even if it was the baseball cap? Why or why not?

3) Aunt Bee wanted Andy to be practical, so he bought canning jars (two cases to make it even more special!). Was her reaction to the jars selfish and childish? Why or why not?

4) Andy finally discovered what Aunt Bee really wanted for her birthday and gave up his fishing rod to make her happy. Ho would Aunt Bee have felt if she knew about his sacrifice? Why wouldn’t Andy want her to find out? Was it important for Opie to know?

5) Did everyone get what he or she wanted in this episode? Did anyone deserve more? Who, in your opinion, was the happiest of all, and why?

Final Thought:
Opie: You sold it? But, you said you’d never sell it!
Andy: No, not quite. I said I kept it because it gave me so much enjoyment and that I wouldn’t sell it for money. And I didn’t sell it for money. I just kinda swapped it for a different kind of enjoyment. So ol’ Eagle-Eye Annie’s doing just what she did before. Even right now she’s giving me pleasure – real, heart-warming pleasure.