The Way Back to Mayberry: Lessons from a Simpler Time

Mayberry.

CHAPTER 1

You Never Asked

Opie’s Charity

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 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? How 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? You 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.

MATTHEW 7:1–5

Opie’s Charity is an early episode in the series and one that really highlights the incredible acting ability of young Ronny Howard. The interaction between Andy and Opie is classic, and we can see the stage being set for a wonderful father-son relationship that will last for years in our hearts and in reruns. The episode begins with Andy and Opie playing catch. While they are playing, Annabelle Silby comes by to solicit help with the annual children’s charity drive she heads up every year. Andy and Annabelle go into the courthouse to discuss the status of the charity drive. While at the courthouse, Annabelle compliments the town’s children on their willingness to help out with such a worthy cause. Andy, taking this opportunity to brag, suggests that Opie is probably one of the biggest contributors in his class. However, Annabelle relates that Opie only contributed three cents to the charity drive. The next lowest contributor was five cents, and that was from Roy Pruitt, one of the underprivileged children. Andy is beside himself. He can’t believe his son would contribute such a measly amount to a worthy cause like the children’s charity drive. When Opie returns to the courthouse, Andy greets him with names like Moneybags and Diamond Jim." Andy proceeds to have a sit-down discussion with his son to discuss the importance of giving. Opie claims he is saving his money to buy his girlfriend, Charlotte, a present. Try as he might, Andy just can’t get the point across to his son that he should give more to the charity drive.

That night at supper, Andy still cannot convince Opie that it is important for him to be generous in his giving. Finally, Andy has had it and he sends Opie to his room. While Andy is muttering to himself about how embarrassing it is for the son of the town sheriff to give the least amount to the charity drive, Aunt Bee interjects. Aunt Bee asks Andy to stop and think about what he is saying. Is he more concerned about what other people think than he is about his own son? Is he really ready to give up on his son because of this one incident? Andy realizes what he has done and calls Opie downstairs. He tells Opie that it is OK to spend all his money on his girlfriend, and it doesn’t matter if he buys her a toy or takes her to the movie for two dollars’ worth of popcorn. Then Opie says something Andy never expected, something Andy never even considered. I was saving to buy her a coat, Opie replies. The silence is deafening. A coat? Opie continues, Yeah, the one she’s got is kinda worn out. Andy’s mouth drops. But Opie, you never told me what the money was for. Opie’s response, You never asked.

Have you ever considered how easy it is to prejudge someone? To make an assumption before we get all the facts? To automatically assume we know the situation? This episode reminds me of a particular Sunday morning in church. My wife, Nicole, and I were sitting near the front, and two women we didn’t know were sitting in front of us. During the service I noticed that the women were whispering to each other. It really didn’t bother me at first, but it was a little distracting. As the service went on, the women kept whispering. Now this might be expected behavior from two young children, but these were grown-ups. Everyone knows that you’re not supposed to talk in church, especially if you are sitting near the front! The more it went on, the more upset I became, and I eventually lost track of the sermon. I had no idea what the preacher was saying. I just couldn’t believe these two women had the nerve to be so distracting in church. How juvenile. How rude.

In a little while the sermon was over and it was time for announcements. One of the announcements was a welcome to the wife of one of our missionaries. She was in the States for a short time and wanted to visit our congregation since we were helping to support their mission effort. She was traveling with a friend, and they were sitting in the front. What? I thought. These two women? The women who have distracted me throughout the entire service? The two that caused me not to get anything from this morning’s message? And one of them is the wife of a preacher? You’ve got to be kidding!

By the way, the announcer continued, our guest doesn’t speak English, so when you introduce yourself, her friend will be happy to interpret for you.

There it was. She couldn’t understand English. Her friend was her interpreter. That’s why they were whispering. Now it all made sense. Suddenly, upon reflection, they didn’t seem so distracting. In fact, they were being very discreet trying not to disturb anyone. She just wanted to know what was being said; and her friend was just trying to help. I felt very small. I slowly realized that the reason I was mad and the reason I didn’t get anything from the service was not these ladies’ fault. It was all my fault because I assumed I knew the situation. I assumed I knew all the facts.

I didn’t know the facts. I judged the scene based on my perception—just like Andy did with Opie. He was willing to ignore all the good he knew about his son, and for what? Because he assumed the worst. He assumed his son had done wrong, and he was worried that Opie would embarrass him. How easy it can be to lose our faith in others all because we jump to conclusions, because we prejudge.

That Sunday morning I kept thinking to myself, You never told me she didn’t speak English. But then again, I never asked.

CHAPTER 2

Another World

Man in a Hurry

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

JAMES 1:2–4, NKJV

Malcolm Tucker is a wealthy businessman from Charlotte. One Sunday he happens to have car trouble a couple of miles outside of Mayberry. Malcolm walks the rest of the way to town and meets Andy coming out of Sunday morning worship. Andy offers to assist Malcolm but warns that it is nearly impossible to get anything done on a Sunday in Mayberry. Malcolm begins to lose patience when Wally, the filling station owner, refuses to fix his car because it is his policy not to work on Sunday. Furthermore, Malcolm is dumbfounded when he learns that he can’t even use the telephone because the elderly Mindlebright sisters use the party line to visit on Sunday afternoons, since they are unable to get around very well. Back at the Taylor house, things don’t get much better for Malcolm. He explodes into a tirade, screaming that the citizens of Mayberry are living in another world—that this is the twentieth century, and while the whole world is living in a desperate space age, the town of Mayberry shuts down because two old ladies’ feet fall asleep.

Out on the front porch Malcolm actually begins to relax as Barney and Andy sing the old spiritual Church in the Wildwood. But this calm moment is short-lived when Gomer informs Malcolm that his cousin Goober has offered to fix the car. Later, when Gomer returns with the car, Malcolm is surprised that there is no charge for the repair since it was just a clogged fuel line. Goober actually considered it an honor to work on such a fine machine. As Mr. Tucker prepares to leave, he stops and contemplates the events of the afternoon as well as his return to the activities of his hectic life. Malcolm realizes that the very characteristics of Mayberry life that initially frustrated him so much are, in fact, the priorities he needs to establish in his own life. He decides to put his business on hold and stay the night in Mayberry.

I think the reason the episode Man in a Hurry is so popular is that we can all see ourselves in Malcolm Tucker. We can all get caught up in our daily activities to the extent that we are blinded to everything else going on around us, and when things don’t go our way, we explode! It’s a lesson of patience and one I need to remind myself of daily. I expect things to happen on my time. I expect to be in a certain position in life by a certain age, and if I don’t make that goal, I become exasperated. One of my struggles is living my life on God’s time; and even though I may think that I am ready for the next step, God’s plan might be quite