James 1:2-3
October 6th Devotional
On this day in 1960, CBS premiered their newest sitcom, the Andy Griffith Show. The concept was first pitched on the Danny Thomas Show as a special comedic act featuring Andy Griffith. The audience reacted so positively that Thomas helped create and direct the new show. The show focused on the adventures of a widowed sheriff named Andy Taylor who lived in the tiny little town of Mayberry North Carolina. Living with Andy would be his Aunt Bee and his boy Opie. Other main characters in the show included the incomparable Don Knotts who played Deputy Barney Fife, Goober and his cousin Gomer, Floyd the Barber, Howard Sprague, Emmett the repairman, Otis the town drunk, Clara Edwards, and my personal favorite, Ernest T. Bass. Each show opened with the “Fishing Hole” monologue where Andy and Opie head to the lake to do some fishing. Who can forget the simplistic whistle? The show would continue for eight seasons, totaling 249 episodes (all of which included Andy), and winning countless awards along the way. The show was always in the top ten for TV rankings and in its final season it was rated number one. The show would create a spin-off, Gomer Pyle USMC, and would continue yet another three seasons as Mayberry RFD. It also went on to produce a made-for-TV movie in 1986.
My favorite episode is called “Man in a Hurry.” It follows the story of Malcolm Tucker, a wealthy and important businessman from Charlotte whose car breaks down two miles outside of town. Mr. Tucker enters the sleepy little burg of Mayberry with high hopes of getting his car fixed quickly only to find out that the town basically shuts down on Sundays. People take the day off to relax and spend time with family. Malcolm wasn’t even able to get a phone call out because the Mendlebright sisters would tie up the line all day. Mr. Tucker was frustrated and fumed trying to get someone to fix his car; he would even exclaim “I want my car fixed now, today, this very minute.” He struggled with relaxing, he struggled with taking a break, and he struggled with being patient. I’m reminded of James 1:2-3, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Malcom struggled in the face of his trial and his trial proved that he was bankrupt in the department of patience. Trials often do that. They put us into the crucible of God to produce godly character. Trials often touch on how much patience we have, or for some of us, me included, the lack thereof. None of us like moments that try our endurance, but they are necessary for us to develop spiritual maturity. Instead of getting anxious and worried maybe we just need to disconnect and simply wait on God. Mr. Tucker found peace simply sitting on the front porch of Andy’s house peeling an apple. God invites you onto His front porch to sit down and take your load off. He invites you in your trial to relax, to rest, and to trust Him. Don’t allow your patience to be a casualty of life’s pressures.
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