The Pretty Good Samaritan

Chris: Hi, this is Chris! The gang in Odyssey is about to set off for a time of wonder and excitement. Want to come along? We'd love to have you join us for today's Adventure in Odyssey.
Mr. Everson: Wow, that was fantastic, Greg. I'm impressed. When I gave you guys this Sunday school assignment, I didn't expect so much effort to go into it. That was amazing. If you haven't done your project yet, don't be intimidated by what Greg just did, okay? Just because he chose to mime the entire book of Revelation doesn't mean you guys have to get that involved. Something simple would be just fine. All right, let's assign next week's projects. Brenda, you and Charles are going next week. Do you know what you're doing yet?
Brenda: I'm doing the story of the ten lepers as a puppet show.
Mr. Everson: That sounds interesting. And just in case somebody doesn't know, would you please tell the class what that's about?
Brenda: Well, these ten people with leprosy came to Jesus and asked to be healed. He told them to show themselves to priests. They did and they were healed, but only one out of ten came back to thank Jesus.
Mr. Everson: Okay, that'll be good. And Charles, what will you be doing?
Charles: I'm doing a play about the Good Samaritan.
Mr. Everson: A play?
Charles: Actually, I'll be dressing up popsicle sticks for people.
Mr. Everson: Popsicle sticks? Very creative. Tell us the story.
Charles: Okay, there's this man who got beat up by robbers, and two guys passed by him and didn't even stop to help. But then a third guy called the Good Samaritan stopped and helped him.
Mr. Everson: That's right. Good choice, Charles. Thanks. It's time for church, so let's pray and dismiss. Our Father, we thank you for giving these children such good talents, and thank you that they're using them for you. It's in Jesus' name we pray, amen. See you next week!
Brenda: Man, Greg really went all out.
Charles: I know. That's going to make me look bad when I do mine next week. I was just going to use socks for puppets. I can't do that now.
Brenda: I haven't even started my project yet. I've got to get home and eat some popsicle sticks.
Charles: Looks like we've both got a lot of work to do.
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Mr. Kelly: All right, everyone take your seats, please. Thank you. Now, it's become quite obvious in the last few days that some people think this study hall is actually a talk-to-your-friends hall. It's not. This class is designed for everyone to sit still and get homework and studying done. That can't be accomplished if everyone's talking. Anyway, I'm going to do something about it today. I'm rearranging the seating chart, splitting up some of you motor-mouths, and I'll call names and you'll go where I tell you to. This will be your seat for the rest of the school year. Now, you got it? Good. Adams, I want you to move over two tables and sit next to Thompson.
Glenn Adams: Hi. I'm Glenn Adams.
Charles: Charles Thompson. Nice to meet you.
Glenn Adams: Guess we're going to be sitting together.
Charles: Yeah. Don't really know why he changed my seat.
Glenn Adams: Maybe he knew we'd make a good team, huh?
Charles: Could be. Yeah, I better get some homework done.
Glenn Adams: You think I could borrow a pencil?
Charles: Oh, sure. Here.
Glenn Adams: Thanks. Ooh. You know, on second thought, never mind. I don't really like number three pencils. Too light. I like my number twos. I'll take two-and-a-halves sometimes, but never three. They put too much strain on your eyes. No, thanks. I'd like to be able to see when I'm 50. You can have your pencil back, Charles. I'll just study.
Charles: Sure.
Glenn Adams: So, you ready for the killer bees?
Charles: What?
Glenn Adams: They're on their way, you know.
Charles: Killer bees?
Glenn Adams: You haven't heard?
Charles: No. What are you talking about?
Glenn Adams: They're from South America and they're migrating north. Millions of them. They should reach the United States about any day now.
Charles: Where'd you hear this?
Glenn Adams: From a reliable source. It's got the whole state of Texas in a tizzy. I mean, I'm not worried. I've got my beekeeper suit. You do have a beekeeper suit, don't you?
Charles: No.
Glenn Adams: You better get a move on. Have to order them special. You can't get one of those things at Kmart, you know.
Charles: How come I haven't heard anything about this before?
Glenn Adams: They're trying to keep it quiet so there's not such a panic.
Charles: Who are they? And how are they keeping it quiet if people in Texas know all about it?
Mr. Kelly: Thompson, quiet down over there.
Charles: Yes, sir.
Glenn Adams: You got Mr. Kelly for geography? Charles, you got Mr. Kelly?
Charles: Yes.
Glenn Adams: Big test today, huh?
Charles: Yeah, that's what I'm studying for. At least I'm trying to.
Glenn Adams: You know the capital of Nevada?
Charles: No.
Glenn Adams: I've got a feeling he's going to ask us to name all 50 state capitals.
Charles: Are you crazy? All 50? Do you know them?
Glenn Adams: No, of course not. I'd look them up if I were you. I memorized them last night, just in case.
Charles: He's not going to ask us that.
Glenn Adams: Whatever you say. It's your grade. Fine. Carson City.
Charles: What?
Glenn Adams: That's the capital of Nevada. Carson City.
Charles: Look, I'm sorry, but I don't want to get in trouble. I think we should stop talking now.
Glenn Adams: Oh, sure. Hey, Charles. Charles!
Charles: What?
Glenn Adams: Do you always breathe like that?
Charles: Glenn!
Mr. Kelly: All right, Thompson, that's it. Get over here.
Charles: Sorry.
Charles: You think these puppets are okay?
Brenda: They're a lot better than my popsicle stick man. What's this branch thing for?
Charles: Well, I didn't realize when I picked the story that I would need 11 hands for all the puppets. One for each leper and Jesus. So I'm using that thing to hold up my leper puppets.
Brenda: That's kind of neat. I better get that.
Charles: Hey, do you have anything to drink?
Brenda: Sure, check the fridge.
Guest (Male): Hello? Just a second. Dad!
Guest (Male): Yeah?
Guest (Male): Telephone.
Guest (Male): Thanks.
Guest (Male): There's a note from your mom in the refrigerator. Have you seen it yet?
Brenda: No, what's it say?
Guest (Male): "I'll be home around seven. Yours and your father's supper is wrapped in foil. Write your thank you notes."
Brenda: Thank you notes? Oh, brother.
Charles: Thank you notes to who?
Brenda: Oh, I got a bunch of stuff from my relatives for my birthday. Mom's been bugging me to write thank you notes.
Charles: Your birthday? That was months ago.
Brenda: I know. That's why I don't see the point. They probably don't even remember what they got me anymore. Is that lemonade?
Charles: Yeah, you want some?
Brenda: I'll get it later. So how's the Good Samaritan coming?
Charles: He's purple.
Brenda: What?
Charles: He was a grape-flavored popsicle, but I figure he'd be pretty purple anyway after getting beat up. And you know the two guys who passed by the hurt man on the side of the road?
Brenda: Yeah.
Charles: I'm going to make them real ugly and mean, and they're going to talk like this and say, "I've got better things to do than get my hands dirty helping you. Stay away from me."
Brenda: That's good. You know, I was thinking about doing the same thing with the lepers. For the ones who don't come back to thank Jesus, they'll have ugly faces and be really obnoxious and nobody'll like them. I've got names for them, too. One's going to be Rusty for Rusty Gordon, and then Rodney for Rodney Rathbone.
Charles: How about Glenn?
Brenda: Glenn?
Charles: You want obnoxious? Glenn Adams.
Brenda: I don't know any Glenn Adams.
Charles: You know, the kid that always sits alone at lunch. On the far side of the lunchroom.
Brenda: Oh, yeah, I know who you're talking about.
Charles: Well, I know why he sits alone now. He's irritating.
Brenda: What'd he do?
Charles: He got me in trouble. He wouldn't be quiet. Have you heard anything about killer bees?
Brenda: What?
Charles: Never mind. I just hope he keeps quiet tomorrow.
Glenn Adams: I mean, bad posture never killed anyone as far as I know. The worst thing it could do is cripple you for life, and that's not even really likely.
Charles: I don't have bad posture.
Glenn Adams: Not if you're a chimpanzee.
Charles: Look, Glenn, I'm sorry, but I don't want to get in trouble again. I think we should just be quiet.
Glenn Adams: Oh, okay, sure. I understand. Here.
Charles: What is this?
Glenn Adams: Open it.
Charles: You're inviting me to a party?
Glenn Adams: Yeah, my birthday. The party's this Thursday after school. Can you come?
Charles: I'm not sure.
Glenn Adams: It's my first party since I've moved here. I figure it'll be a great way to make some new friends. I haven't made too many friends since I've been here.
Charles: Well, I'll have to see what I'm doing Thursday.
Glenn Adams: I hope you can make it. I really want you there.
Charles: Can I ask why?
Glenn Adams: Why what?
Charles: Why you want me there? I mean, you only met me yesterday.
Glenn Adams: I like you. You're different, and I can tell. You listen a lot better than other people. I think we could be good friends.
Charles: Really?
Glenn Adams: In fact, you're probably the best friend I've made since I've moved here.
Charles: I am?
Brenda: Charles, back here! I saved you a seat.
Charles: Thanks. You gotta help me. Invite me to something for this Thursday.
Brenda: What are you talking about?
Charles: What are you doing Thursday night?
Brenda: I don't know, why?
Charles: What do you think you might be doing?
Brenda: I guess my mom and I might go shop for clothes.
Charles: Invite me.
Brenda: You really want to go shopping?
Charles: No, but invite me anyway.
Brenda: Okay, you want to go shopping Thursday?
Charles: I'd love to. There.
Brenda: What's your problem?
Charles: Glenn invited me to his birthday party on Thursday. I need an excuse not to go.
Brenda: So you're going to tell him I invited you to go shopping with me?
Charles: Yeah.
Brenda: Wouldn't you rather go to a party?
Charles: Are you crazy? This is Glenn Adams we're talking about here.
Brenda: You barely know him.
Charles: Exactly. Can you believe he invited me to his party?
Brenda: I don't know. I think it was pretty nice of him. You should go.
Charles: If I go, then he'll think I want to be friends with him. I can't be friends with him. He drives me crazy.
Brenda: It's just a party. It's not like you're marrying him.
Charles: Doesn't matter anyway. I'm going shopping with you.
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Glenn Adams: Charles! Hey, over here.
Charles: Oh, hi, Glenn.
Glenn Adams: How'd your party go last night?
Charles: Oh, it was great. We had a blast. You should've been there.
Glenn Adams: Yeah, well, I'm sorry, but Brenda invited me to go somewhere with her.
Charles: Too bad. It was one of the best parties I ever had. We opened presents, ate a lot of food, played some games: darts, air hockey, three or four games of capture the flag. That was fun.
Glenn Adams: Capture the flag?
Charles: Yeah, you ever played it?
Glenn Adams: Sure, but where did you play?
Charles: Well, just around my house.
Glenn Adams: Outside?
Charles: Sure.
Glenn Adams: But there was a thunderstorm last night.
Charles: So?
Glenn Adams: Your parents let you play outside during a thunderstorm?
Charles: Well, it wasn't a bad thunderstorm.
Glenn Adams: Any thunderstorm is too dangerous.
Charles: Maybe it was worse at your house. I live three streets over from you. It was pouring. So maybe we only played for five minutes.
Glenn Adams: You can't play three games of capture the flag in five minutes.
Charles: Okay, we didn't play in the thunderstorm.
Glenn Adams: But you said...
Charles: I know what I said! There was no party last night, okay?
Glenn Adams: What?
Charles: Nobody showed up. It was my parents and me. That's it. I handed out a hundred invitations to people all over the school, and nobody came.
Glenn Adams: I'm sorry.
Charles: Yeah, that's what everybody else said, too.
Guest (Male): Help! Glenn! Charles! Help! Over here!
Charles: Glenn, what happened?
Glenn Adams: These two guys beat me up. They just left me here on the sidewalk.
Charles: You're purple.
Glenn Adams: I know. You have to get me to the hospital, please.
Charles: Want me to carry you there?
Glenn Adams: Yes, please. And with both hands in front of you, if you don't mind. The over-the-shoulder method could permanently damage my spine. And try not to let my head bobble. I have very sensitive neck muscles. Oh, and don't use your back when you lift me. Use your legs. Okay, go ahead. Charles?
Charles: Forget it.
Glenn Adams: What?
Charles: I'm not helping you. I don't even like you.
Glenn Adams: But I'm seriously, maybe even fatally, hurt!
Charles: Don't worry, somebody else will come by here soon.
Glenn Adams: It'll be too late!
Charles: Too bad. I guess you shouldn't have been so annoying in study hall.
Glenn Adams: No, wait!
Charles: I've got better things to do than to get my hands dirty helping you. Stay away from me!
Glenn Adams: No! Please, don't leave me! Help me, Charles! Help! Oh, boy, just a dream. Just a dream.
Brenda: Jesus, I just wanted to thank you for healing me.
Guest (Male): But didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Are you the only one who came back to thank God? Stand up and go on your way. You were healed because you believed. The end.
Mr. Everson: Very good, Brenda. Nice job. Boy, I can't get over how impressive these presentations have been. You have all worked really hard. All right, we have one more today, and Charles, you're up.
Charles: Okay. This is the story of the Good Samaritan. This here is a man, and he was walking down the road one day when all of a sudden, some robbers came along and beat him up. The man was badly hurt and stranded on the side of the road. He needed to get to a hospital, but he couldn't walk, so he just laid there. Just then, a man called a Levite was coming down the road. He saw the man lying on the ground. He knew the man needed help, but he didn't stop to help him. He just walked on. He walked right past him like he didn't even see him. He didn't even slow down. Didn't care at all. The man was bleeding to death and he just passed on by. How could this guy ever live with himself again? He was the most selfish, horrible man who ever lived and doesn't deserve to have any friends! And that's exactly what happened to him. He never had any friends after he passed by that man on the road. He went home and stayed there and watched television and ate popcorn all day for the next 20 years because nobody wanted to be around him.
Mr. Everson: Charles. What? What? Oh. Charles, what are you doing?
Charles: I'm telling the story.
Mr. Everson: Well, I don't remember that last part being in the story.
Charles: Oh, I guess not.
Mr. Everson: Do you want to continue?
Charles: Maybe I better not.
Mr. Everson: Well, what about your presentation?
Charles: Can I do it next week?
Mr. Everson: Sure, I guess so. Okay. Well, I have a treat for you guys. I think you deserve a reward for your hard work. So immediately after church today, we'll all head down to the fellowship hall and have some ice cream!
Brenda: This is great ice cream. I'm going to have another scoop. Want any?
Charles: No, thanks.
Brenda: You're passing up free ice cream?
Charles: I'm not hungry.
Brenda: Upset about your project?
Charles: No. Well, maybe a little embarrassed. I should have gone to Glenn's party.
Brenda: Really?
Charles: I had a dream the other night that Glenn was on the side of the road bleeding, and I walked right past him, just like the guy in my story.
Brenda: Well, it's not like you really did that.
Charles: That's a lousy excuse.
Brenda: I mean, we can't all be Good Samaritans.
Charles: Another lousy excuse.
Brenda: Just trying to make you feel better. So what's your excuse now?
Charles: What do you mean?
Brenda: I mean, is Glenn so mad that you can never be friends again, ever?
Charles: No, I don't think so.
Brenda: So maybe you can still be friends.
Charles: You're right. You're right! Thanks, Brenda. I gotta go!
Brenda: Sure, see ya! I'm getting some more ice cream. Mr. Everson?
Mr. Everson: Yes, Brenda?
Brenda: Could I have another cone?
Mr. Everson: Oh, sure you can.
Brenda: This is great ice cream. Did it come from Whit's End?
Mr. Everson: Well, actually, it's homemade. Connie made it herself.
Brenda: Really?
Mr. Everson: Well, she sure did. I guess she felt you guys deserved it.
Brenda: That was really nice of her.
Mr. Everson: Yeah, sure was.
Brenda: Wait a minute, where is she?
Mr. Everson: Oh, Connie? Oh, she had to go on home.
Brenda: She went home? When did she leave?
Mr. Everson: Just now.
Brenda: I gotta go! Connie! Connie!
Connie: Brenda?
Brenda: Connie!
Connie: Brenda, what's the matter?
Brenda: Nothing. I just wanted to tell you thank you for the ice cream.
Connie: You ran all the way out here to tell me thank you?
Brenda: Yeah.
Connie: Well, you're welcome. You know, you're the only person who took the time to say that. Thanks.
Brenda: You're welcome.
Charles: Glenn!
Glenn Adams: Oh, hi, Charles. What are you doing here?
Charles: I want to apologize for the way I acted.
Glenn Adams: Oh, okay.
Charles: And I thought maybe you'd want to play catch or something.
Glenn Adams: You want to play catch with me?
Charles: Yeah.
Glenn Adams: Why?
Charles: What do you mean why? Come on, let's play.
Glenn Adams: I'm not very good at baseball.
Charles: Neither am I, but it's just catch.
Glenn Adams: Well, okay, I'll be right out. Let me get my glove and goggles.
Charles: Goggles?
Glenn Adams: Yeah, protective eyewear. You know, you really should wear it. You could lose an eye if the ball gets you in the right place. I'll think about it. Hmm. Sun's real bright today. You have sunscreen on?
Charles: No.
Glenn Adams: You can use some of mine if you want. Level 56. You could catch on fire and it wouldn't penetrate through this stuff.
Charles: No, I... 56, huh? Sounds pretty strong. Maybe I will try some.
Glenn Adams: Really? Great! Be right back.
Charles: This Good Samaritan stuff is going to be harder than I thought.
Chris: James 1:22 tells us: "Do what God's teaching says. Don't just listen and do nothing." Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan so that we could learn how to love our neighbors. When we hear any Bible story or lesson, it's important not to just listen and enjoy them. We need to learn from them and then live them. Well, that's all for now. If you ever want to write to us, just send your card or letter to Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. In Canada, write to Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3. And don't forget to ask how you can get a copy of today's episode. It's called "The Pretty Good Samaritan." That address once again: Adventures in Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995. Adventures in Odyssey's a presentation of Focus on the Family. "The Pretty Good Samaritan" was written and directed by Marshal Younger. Our production engineer was Mark Drury, and our executive producer is Chuck Bolte. And I'm Chris, hoping you'll join us again next time for more Adventures in Odyssey. Here's another fun fact from the Odyssey's craft book. We've received a number of letters from listeners who are curious about exactly what age range Adventures in Odyssey's intended for. Well, first and foremost, Adventures in Odyssey was created to bring entire families together for a time of entertainment and learning. But the main target age for Odyssey is kids between the ages of 8 to 12 years old. Of course, we know that we have younger listeners and hope that parents stay nearby to answer any questions they might have. If you ever have any comments or suggestions about Adventures in Odyssey, don't hesitate to write to us. Our address is Odyssey, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80995, or in Canada, write to PO Box 9800, Vancouver, BC, V6B 4G3.