Recently, my wife and I have been hosting a small group Bible study in our home. We’ve tried to make it fun for everyone, so we haven’t just been doing a book study or using other similarly “dry†materials… we’re watching episodes of the Andy Griffith Show, and seeing what we can learn from that idealized picture of life (check out this link for more on this kind of study). Last night’s lesson seemed particularly relevant, given the high levels of debate swirling around the SBC.
The episode we watched was called “Opie’s Charity” (you should REALLY see this one, it’s great, and my summary won’t do it justice).
Here’s the episode summary:
Annabelle Silby, a local of Mayberry, walks up to Andy and Opie Taylor as they’re playing catch on the sidewalk. She speaks with Andy for a bit, asking for his assistance for the children’s charity drive (benefiting underprivileged children). Andy agrees to help, and he and Annabelle proceed to the sheriff’s office, where they continue their conversation. The conversation turns from the charity drive some (to more personal matters), and we learn that Annabelle is, in her own words, “a proud woman”, one who can hardly admit that her husband (Tom) was a heavy drinker who was killed two years ago after getting run over by a taxicab while on a business trip. We learn that Annabelle, being the proud woman she is, gave her husband the finest funeral Mayberry had ever seen. From all of this, it’s clear that Annabelle is very much concerned about her image.
Opie comes in as Andy and Annabelle are wrapping up their conversation (during which, we have also learned that Opie has only given three cents to the charity drive). Andy gives Opie a very hard time about his stingy giving… calling him “moneybags”, “the big philanthropist”, “diamond Jim”, etc. Andy tries to be a good parent, attempting to teach Opie the value of giving, and sternly encourages Opie to give more to the cause. During the course of their conversation, Andy discovers that that Opie has a girlfriend who he was planning to spend his money on, and that’s why he only gave three cents. Andy is obviously displeased with Opie’s priorities. Opie ends up going home with Aunt Bea, and Andy goes about business.
Soon afterward, Annabelle’s husband, Tom, shows up. Andy is terribly surprised, as everyone thought he was dead! Tom tells his story… that he got fed up with Annabelle’s pride, hen-pecking, etc, and just left. Of course Tom is most confused about Andy’s reactions to seeing a “dead” man, so Andy explains Annabelle’s actions to him… that she was so proud that she made up the story about Tom being run over by a taxicab, that she held a funeral, etc. Tom’s still in disbelief, so Andy takes him to see his grave site. Afterwards, they head back to Andy’s house to straighten things out with Annabelle, and Tom goes over to see her.
Andy returns his focus to Opie and his paltry giving. Opie continues to insist that he can’t give more, that he’s saving the money to buy something for Charlotte, etc. Irritated at the response, Andy punishes Opie, sending him to his room without dinner. He rumbles on and on about being part of the charity drive, that it’s embarrassing to him, etc., and Aunt Bea steps in. She lets Andy have it for carrying on like he’s Annabelle… so proud of the charity drive that he conveniently overlooks everything good about Opie. Andy realizes that his behavior has been out of line, and calls Opie back down for dinner. After a tender moment (“do you like me again?”), we find out Opie’s real reason for not giving… that he plans to save up his money in order to buy his friend Charlotte a coat, because her family can’t afford a new one for her. At this realization, it’s obvious that Andy’s judgment of Opie and his failure to ask more Opie’s plans was a BIG mistake. His last words on the matter (in response to Opie’s question about dinner), are quite appropriate: “Well, Opie… you and Aunt Bea will be havin’ fried chicken… and it looks like I’m havin’ crow.”
Tom and Andy end up the episode chatting about his relationship with Annabelle. Andy points out that Tom continues to talk about himself as if he were actually dead and buried in the cemetery. Tom turns to Andy and points out that he realized that he needed to die, in a way… that the hen-pecked, alcoholic had to die so that a new and better Tom could shine through. The same was obviously true about Annabelle… she just had to let go of her pride.
So? The lesson?
If it’s not clear from the summary (or even the post title): pride and judgment.
In the episode, we saw pride clearly demonstrated. Annabelle’s pride drove her to extensive lengths of irrational behavior, all intended to make others think more of her. Andy’s pride manifested itself in judgment, causing him to fail to see the plank in his own eye to see a non-existent speck in Opie’s. Both clearly demonstrated, albeit in different ways, the problems of this supposedly virtuous (at least in today’s society) character trait.
Scripture cuts to the root of the matter on both.
On pride and boasting (as Annabelle demonstrated), we’ve got 1 John 2:15-17:
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Annabelle craved attention. She craved praise from others. She craved her good image. Her focus, above all else, was on those things that the world sees as important.
So how does this apply, you ask? After all, none of us are like Annabelle, are we?
To that extent? Probably not… but Annabelle isn’t a real person… just a caricature of pride to the nth degree, used to make a humorous point in a television show.
If we’re honest with ourselves though, we’re all filled with pride. We all like to be thought of well by others or looked up to. We all want to hide our flaws. But at what expense?
That’s where the rubber meets the road. Do we crave the things of the world more than we do God? Do we boast in our accomplishments, rather than proclaiming from the rooftops the glory of God and everything He has done?
I wonder if this kind of pride is driving the intense reactions and debate, at least to some extent, in the SBC right now. Are some of us so wrapped up in praise of self or others (even if we or others are being used powerfully by God) that any truthful chink in the armor revealed by another triggers an intensely sinful, unloving, and reactionary response? Does our pride drive us to take irrational, even sinful actions?
On to judgment and a couple other passages (Matthew 7:1-5, 1 Corinthians 4:3-5):
1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
Interestingly, Andy got himself into trouble on a couple counts here… not only was he prideful of his image and position (as sheriff and member of the charity drive), he found himself, out of pride, judging Opie’s heart and motives. Again, he couldn’t see the plank in his own eye… and managed to find a non-existent speck in Opie’s.
Are we really all that different, sometimes? We love our good image, and to support how “good” we are, do we not look for fault in others? Do we not judge the hearts and motives of others, often falsely?
This too, appears to be another potential source of the problems in the SBC right now. How many heated debates, barbed blog posts, or inflammatory comments do we see resulting from such pride and heart judgment? How many people do we see being judged and labeled? How much introspection do we see going on now, reflecting on our own pride (that’s a good sign of change, by the way)?
Yes, we’ve unleashed a lot of pride and judgment over the past several months. The results, in many (if not most) cases, have not been pretty.
I wonder if we can repent of these things, both individually and corporately. I wonder if we can, for once, be open, honest, and authentic with each other. I wonder if we can stop rushing to judgment on each other’s motives. I wonder if we can hold each other accountable to be Christ-like and loving. I wonder if we can truly be one in Christ, united as brothers and sisters in a holy cause?
I wonder if Greensboro can be a starting point for amazing reconciliation and healing, or if we’ll be too filled with pride and judgment to let God’s spirit move us where he wants us to be.
Anyway, just a few thoughts as I’ve considered a little reminder from Mayberry. How about joining me in a bit of self-introspection, enjoying a bit of crow as we realize our own faults and failures, reconciling with one another as commanded by Christ, and moving forward in cooperation to make a difference in our world?
I pray it is a starting point! See you there!