Mayberry, Andy Griffith and Fourth of July

The news this week that Andy Griffith had passed away brought a flood of memories to my mind. Memories of my own family, life in they early 60s, and the lone TV sitting centered in our Living Room and from which perceptions for our day and time were fed. My nostalgia was so strong that Belinda and I unpacked a DVD featuring a few of the old "Andy Griffith Show" episodes - and played it through the family room TV throughout the day.  Andy was 86, and his passing has marked myriad of comments - especially from my generation - concerning the character's he portrayed, the man he was and the times he seemed to represent. As far as the 'Andy Griffith Show' was concerned (CBS, 1960 -68), each story - presented through the comically natural, homespun humor of characters from the fictitious town of Mayberry, North Carolina - brought a simple but poignant message of love, kindness and the ways of encouragement. They (Andy and the Gang) helped us laugh at the presumption of our own circumstance, and left us with a hope that good guys really can win - not just in Mayberry, but in our own life and town too.

Now this week we also celebrated our nations 236th birthday - and I wondered, how can it be possible that 36 years have passed since our nation's Bi-Centennial? And, more, what do the youth of our nation think of that past event now?  Do they think of 36 years ago as ancient history?  Could that be?  The answer, I realize, is 'yes' - today's young are no different than I was when I used to listen to my High School History Teacher tell of the Great Depression, which, by the way, preceded my Sophomore year by the same span of time - 36 years.

And what does all this say to me, now?  Well, I suppose it says in the very least that 'story' is important.  Even more, it says that the 'why' of our story is important too.  Passing to each generation there must be those cherished parts of our story that are true and honest.  Both the good and the bad.  Today, as I reflect on past times - both the Andy Griffith part of America and the deeply-rooted prejudice part - I must be careful with my responsibility of sharing this story to those who come behind me, telling of both the what and the why.  Likewise, as Americans we must all be careful with our past.  We must know it and teach it within our present day context - so that it might come to bear upon the issues of our times.  We must not so lionize our past that we don't tell the whole truth, but we must also not be ashamed to call to mind the things that were right about it, so that they may call into legitimate question those things which plague us today.  To forget our past is dangerous, to worship it is foolish, but to remember and apply it to the applications of our times is to achieve the betterment of us all.




Pastor Sam  

2nd Peter 1:12 ‘Therefore I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.’ (NASB)