Barney needed a Mentor - do you?

What do you have when you take Andy Taylor, Barney Fife, Gomer Pyle, Opie Taylor, and Otis Campbell and put them all together in a town called Mayberry? The Andy Griffith show! This famous TV comedy, which aired from 1960 to 1968 on CBS, has become a classic for its humour, down to earth themes, and strong emphasis on moral virtue. Many have supposed that this show was a hit because it took people’s minds off the turbulence of their times and presented them with simple family values.

Of particular interest was the relationship that existed between Sheriff Andy Taylor, played by Andy Griffith, and his bumbling deputy Barney Fife, played by the legendary Don Knotts, who won five consecutive Emmy Awards for best supporting actor in his role. Here we encounter an honest, intelligent, upstanding sheriff and his well-meaning but often ill-informed buddy. Throughout the show, Barney repeatedly gets himself into hot water and Andy has to bail him out. In the Andy Griffith Show, we uncover a classic example of a mentoring relationship. The wiser, more experienced Andy guiding, counselling and teaching Barney how to be a great cop.

Yes, there are many lessons we can learn from the Andy Griffith show. But the inspiration of the more mature Andy, mentoring, discipling, and teaching the less mature Barney is one of which the church is especially in need. Christianity is a faith of imitation. It is a life of encountering Christ through his Word and his Body. As I observe the work of Christ in the life of another, I gain perspective on how the faith of the Word can be fleshed out in my vocation, culture and family. Sadly, a mentality of independence pervades much of modern day Christianity. We speak of personal faith in Christ, but rarely contemplate the interpersonal nature of Christianity. We know the church is a Body, but are more fascinated with the appendage we represent. “My faith is my business,” we hear people chirp. Yet each of us can benefit from “Andys”—more mature, wiser Christ-followers who are further ahead in their spiritual journey than we are. Conversely, each of us should look for “Barneys”—less mature; perhaps spiritually weaker followers to encourage and train. Spiritual mentors function as road markers, or guides, who can reorient us when we fail, come alongside us when we are burdened down, share truth with us when we err, and pray for us when we need it most. Like flying buttresses, mentors help strengthen us when we are overwhelmed with the weight of suffering or temptation. Mentors also function as coaches to reinforce virtue, offer training in the Christians disciplines and help position us for maximum ministry effectiveness.