Ed and Petunia
CFS Chapel 10-17-07 / CFC Men’s B-fast 3-15-08
Ralph Kramden / Larry, Darrel & Darrel / Jethro Bodine / Ed Norton / Ricky Ricardo / Jr. Samples / Fonzie / Boss Hog / Fred Ziffle / Barney Fife
Barney Fife / Enos Straight / Festus Hagen / Swifty Morgan
“Ed & Petunia” [A Parable]
You are: deputy / jailer / in charge of prisoners / keeper of keys
EX: Barney Fife
You have 1 prisoner: Ed / big guy / Hell’s Angel / bad reputation / heard all about him
There he sits: lethargic / causing you no trouble at all / model prisoner
He just sits – day after day
In time you: forget about Ed’s nasty reputation
Just 2 of you at old jail so: you & Ed – talk about things [sports / weather / cars / motorcycles]
Every now & then you: give your buddy Ed – glass of lemonade [only supposed to have H2O]
Sometimes you even: slip into cell for game of cards [to pass time]
As: days turn into weeks / weeks into months…..
You wonder: why is Ed locked up at all?
Ed: never gives you trouble / seems perfectly harmless
Then 1 day [in middle of card game]: you smell s-thing
Ed: smells it too It’s perfume
You: go back to t/ game but -- Ed is distracted
You see: look in Ed’s eye [never seen before]
You decide: time to slip out of cell -- check things out
You step out front - in time to see: someone coming toward door
A woman: Petunia
Yes, you’ve: heard about Petunia
Sheriff told you: watch out for her / at all costs – keep her away from Ed
Well – there she is - now what?
Should you: run her off?
She seems: harmless enough / unarmed / not even cake w/ file
As Petunia approaches you hear: noises back inside jail
T/ native is: restless
What does she want?
She wants to: visit Ed
You tell her: she can’t but…..
She’s: sweet talker
From behind you Ed is: calling out to Petunia
Now she’s calling back to him: “I’ll be right there, honey. I just need to talk to this fine handsome, young jailer.”
“Petunia, you can’t go in there.”
“Now what’s t/ harm in: me seeing Ed?”
“Well…”
Ed shouts: “Come on / you can let her in / sheriff – never know”
Petunia says: “T/t’s right / besides – sheriff is kinda sweet on me / t/t’s why – doesn’t want me to see Ed.”
W/ new info you decide: 1 little visit – won’t hurt
But….as soon as Ed & Petunia get in close proximity…..
Ed becomes: Hell’s Angel [you heard about]
And what’s this?.....He took keys from you [while playing cards]
Now he’s: unlocking cell
Ed & Petunia embrace &: begin to leave
You try to: intervene but….
Ed surprises you w/: fierce elbow to nose / blood splatters / you collapse
Last thing you see: Ed & Petunia walking out [arm in arm]…….
Taking w/ them your: job / reputation / e-thing you [worked so hard for] over yrs
And now….t/ story explained
Ed stands for: “evil desire”
Evil desire is found: w/in every human being
Petunia is short for: “opportunity”
We are jailer responsible for: keeping those 2 from getting together
What we must do is: keep Ed away from Petunia
Which means we must keep: evil desire away from opportunity
Evil desire w/in tends to: sit there quietly / not cause much trouble
Until: opportunity comes along
But when: right opportunity shows up -- LOOK OUT!
It will: drive evil desire w/in us – crazy
Just like: Ed when Petunia came along
You probably know: what your weaknesses are / which evil desires are likely to – cause you trouble
What you must do is: stay far away from – opportunities to carry out desires
EX: diet - no DQ / bakery
If you do things on computer t/t are sinful: get rid of computer
Watch things on TV: get rid of channels
You can’t allow: evil desire & opportunity to be together
When you do: evil desire – always get best of you
Ed in presence of Petunia: becomes uncontrollable
READ JAMES 1: 14 – 15
14 “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”
15 “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” [NIV]
Story of Ed & Petunia: fresh way to look at temptation
Remember in story [you were jailer]
You let Ed & Petunia get close: you ended up -- bloody mess
T/t’s what happens when we allow our: evil desire to come close to opportunities
Our evil desire will: get t/ best of us
Our life will end up: bloody mess
And if we don’t: stop it…..
Our evil desire will cost us: job / reputation / friends / family / e-thing we have worked so hard for
Challenge
Take look at your life: identify t/ Ed’s / recognize Petunia’s
Then make it a point to: do whatever you have to do……
To keep: Ed far, far away from Petunia.