Andy Griffith has passed away.

In elementary school, I would come home every day and watch The Andy Griffith Show.  That show is second only to The Beverly Hillbillies in my mind.

I loved to visit Mayberry.  I still do.  In my Instant Queue on Netflix you can find Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, and Opie.

I have one rule about the show.  I don’t watch color episodes.  It’s just not same.  (The opposite is true for The Beverly Hillbillies.  The black and white episodes can’t compare to the color.)

I’ve learned a lot from Andy and the gang over the years.

I’ve learned that there is no such thing as half a boy (see this blog’s title).

I’ve learned that you can’t feed dynamite to a goat.

I’ve learned that you can spook mountain folk with disappearing ink.

Most of all, I’ve learned to be aware of the feelings of others.

For all his faults (and they are greater than we remember), Andy Taylor was always sensitive toward others.  His relationship with Deputy Barney Fife (also his cousin and high school class mate, but the show only mentioned the cousin thing once), showed Andy’s concern for the dignity of others.

He teased Barney in good fun (remember the buffalo nickel?), but when Barney’s pride was truly on the line, Andy stepped up.

Once, Barney accidentally caught a dangerous criminal.  Later in the episode, after the criminal escaped again, Barney was ready to confess that his hero status was not deserved, but Andy stopped him and then arranged for Barney to recapture the fugitive.  Through Andy’s ingenuity, Barney caught the bad guy, with pride and self-confidence intact.  He did swallow his gum, though.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (ESV).”

We should all pay attention to those around us.  They just might need a bit of support and understanding.

We all do, from time to time.

Thank you, Andy, for showing us how it’s done.