The Haunted House: Conquering Life's Scary Places

Times being what they are, I hope this message, based on the Andy Griffith Show episode, The Haunted House, will speak a good word to you about facing and overcoming your fears.  

The Haunted House:

Conquering Life’s Scary Places

As this episode begins, Opie and his unnamed friend are on their way home from playing baseball, discussing whether anyone, even Mickey Mantle, could hit Whitey Ford’s “dipsy-doodle” pitch.  They decide that they can settle their disagreement with a little demonstration.  Opie’s friend will throw a dispy-doodle pitch like Whitey Ford and Opie will swing away at it like Mickey Mantle.  That should settle it, right? 

    Did you notice what Opie did as he settled himself in for a swing at the ball?  He did exactly what Mickey Mantle always did.  He took the bat and knocked the dirt off of his cleats, only Opie doesn’t really have any cleats. (He was wearing the same PF Flyers I wore as a child.) Kids learn so much of what they do, good or bad, by watching us. 

    One Sunday morning, when our son Josh was a very little boy, Linda was dressing him for church in his first little blue blazer.  She tried to button all of the buttons, but Josh protested. After going around and around about whether the bottom button should be buttoned, Linda, exasperated, finally asked Josh, “How do you know that you don’t button the bottom button?”  His answer was short and sweet, “I watched daddy.”  Children are watching to see how we deal with all kinds of challenges, including the one we see in this episode. 

    Mickey Mantle hits Whitey Ford’s dipsy-doodle right out of the park and right through a front-door window of the old Rimshaw place.  An important part of their young lives, a new baseball, has landed in a very scary place.  They can go after it and reclaim it or they can surrender their new baseball to their fears of this old, allegedly haunted, house.  Before they ever get to the front door, the first frightening sound scares them away from the house and their lost baseball. 

    You and I may not have hit a baseball through the window of a scary old house in a long time, but this story is all about us too.  Some part of your life and mine may have landed in a very scary place.  You may be afraid to face a problem in a relationship. You may be scared to speak up for what is right. You may be shaky about inviting people to worship with you or sharing your faith with people who need to know Christ.  You may be afraid to admit that you’re wrong and ask to be forgiven.  Whatever part of your life is lying inside the old Rimshaw place, you have the same decision that Opie and his friend faced.  You can face your fears and take it back or you can surrender it to what scares you.  When the Bible says, in Psalm 34:4,

 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

    That experience is no small thing.  When God delivers us from our fears, He sets us free to take charge of our lives again and glorify Him in that victory. 

    Opie and his friend scurry off to find Andy and tell him what happened.  Andy, not knowing what’s really taking place in that old house, challenges them to think like big boys and not let the sound of the wind scare them.  He suggests that they stay away from the Rimshaw house and offers to retrieve the baseball for them. 

    Since Andy is waiting for a very important call from the capital, he decides to send “nothing to fear but fear itself” Barney Fife to rescue the baseball.  When Andy gives Barney this assignment, we see Barney do a very human thing that we all recognize in ourselves.  Barney thinks of every possible reason why he shouldn’t go into a scary place, at least not right now.  Apparently, the fear therapy he recommends for the boys, “getting back on the horse right away,” doesn’t seem quite right for him.  Aren’t we always better at solving other people’s problems than we are our own? 

    “Fearless” Barney Fife tricks Gomer Pyle into taking a little ride with him, a trip that ends up at the Rimshaw place.  Then, instead of going in to find the ball himself, Barney tries to pressure Gomer into doing it for him.  “I’ll check the timing on the engine.  I said it first!”  Some things you have to do for yourself.  Facing your fears is one of them.  Sending someone else into the scary places in your life won’t help you grow. 

     My senior year in high school, I was involved in an automobile accident.  The accident was my fault.  I got the ticket.  On the day I was to appear in traffic court, my dad offered to go with me.  As we walked into the courthouse he reminded me of the way things would unfold.  “I’ll be with you,” he said, “but you’ll have to face the judge yourself.”

     We need to face our fears.  We can’t send in a substitute.  But we have a Father who has made us a tremendous promise that can help us face our fears. 

 (Deuteronomy 31:6) Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

     Barney and Gomer get no further than the boys had gone in confronting the fears of the Rimshaw place.  When they hear a sound that doesn’t sound like a baseball, they run away and Barney returns to the courthouse in a panic.  Andy’s had enough.  After his call from the capital, he will lead the baseball rescue mission himself. 

     Andy, Barney, and Gomer enter the Rimshaw place, walking as closely together as any three human beings possibly could.  They find the baseball, but Andy is not satisfied.  He senses that something strange really is going on in the Rimshaw house, so he heads off to look around. 

     Andy is getting the idea that as long as fear keeps everyone away from this house, something very bad could be going on inside.  As we later learn, he’s right.  What he senses about the Rimshaw place is also true about your heart and mine.  If fear keeps us away from an area of our lives, a wounded relationship, a history of abuse, unfinished business, whatever it is, then we are surrendering part of our lives to very bad things. 

     While Andy’s gone, Barney and Gomer see and hear all kinds of frightening things.  When you live in fear, everything looks different, doesn’t it?  Like the painting of old man Rimshaw above the fireplace, fear just seems to follow you everywhere you go.  You can’t walk away from your fears because you carry them inside you. 

     Andy returns from his reconnaissance mission and sees and hears some frightening things himself.  He yells for them to get out and the three of them scatter.  Barney and Gomer get to the car and realize that Andy isn’t with them.  Gomer wonders if Barney hasn’t just become the new sheriff.  Barney knows that there is something he must do.  In that moment, the fearful bumbling Barney Fife decides that facing his fears, as tough a task as it is, is more than worth it for the sake of his friend.  So, with gun in trembling hand, he sneaks into the back of the house hoping to save Andy. 

     You and I must decide that facing our fears, as tough as it is, is worth it too, for ourselves and those we love.  Years ago I was John Crosby’s pastor.  He was a young man with Down’s syndrome who made one of the most beautiful professions of faith I have ever witnessed.  The day of his baptism came and John’s parents let me in on a little secret.  In thirty-three years, John had never put his head under water.  He was scared to death of drowning.  I talked to John about how safe baptism was.  His parents comforted and coached him all they could.  His moment in the service came and he stepped into the water.  While I said the things I say to the congregation before a baptism, John’s voice was heard too.  He stood in front of me, shaking his clenched fists while saying, quite nervously, “Oooh!  Oooh!”  But somehow John decided not to let his fear get in the way of following Jesus.  He went beneath the waters, ever so briefly, came up choking and spouting water like a statue in a fountain, but very proud that he had overcome his fear for the sake of Christ. 

     Andy and his posse ran some bad guys out of the Rimshaw place because they faced their fears.  How many bad things can we run out of our lives and the lives of those we love if we will welcome the strength that God is more than ready to give?  As the Bible says,

 (2 Timothy 1:7) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

     God doesn’t want any part of our lives to be lost to our fears.  He invites us, in His strength, to face our fears and come to life.

Taken from Messages from Mayberry: Spiritual Life Lessons from My Favorite Episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, by Dr. Ronald D. Vaughan.  Available at Amazon.com.