The Greatest of These

064: The Greatest of These

Preview:

Airdate

March 4, 1989

Last Aired

Date Recorded

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Recorded at

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Album

04: The FUN-damentals
04: Puns, Parables, and Perilous Predicaments
In Harm's Way
DVD 1: In Harm's Way, Baby Daze

Cassette No.

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Length

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Theme

Love

Genre

[[Category:{{{genre}}} Episodes]][[:Category:{{{genre}}} Episodes| {{{genre}}}]]

Scripture

John 15:12
1 Corinthians 13

Written By

Phil Lollar

Directed By

Phil Lollar

Produced By

Dave Arnold

Executive Producer

Chuck Bolte

Post-Production

Dave Arnold

Engineer

Dave Arnold

Music By

Library

Songs By

Unknown

Inventions Used

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Rating

Current user rating: 87% (21 votes)

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Family Store

A Good and Faithful Servant

The Greatest of These

Bad Company

Summary

Robyn Jacobs struggles with her struggling school partner: Oscar Peterson.

Plot

Robyn Jacobs is madder than a wet hen. The focus of her anger? Oscar Peterson. She tells Whit that not only did Oscar lose a spelling bee for her team at school (thus creating extra homework for them that night), but Robyn has also been paired with Oscar for the upcoming science fair! Robyn believes that their project will be an absolute disaster.

Whit tells Robyn to calm down. When Oscar joins them a few moments later, Robyn is surprised to learn that Oscar has a good idea for the fair. He wants to build a working model volcano. They decide to begin gathering research, but Whit tells Robyn to go ahead without Oscar - Whit first wants Oscar to help with something.

Robyn leaves, and Whit asks Oscar to read the big menu board above the counter. Oscar tries his best, but he can't even get past the fourth word. This confirms Whit's suspicion that Oscar is dyslexic. Unfortunately, Whit doesn't get a chance to tell Robyn, and she and Oscar proceed with their science project together.

At the end of the week, they're ready to test their model volcano for Whit and Connie. It works nicely - the lava is pushed through the volcano orifices via a pump controlled by a dimmer switch, which Oscar operates. But when Robyn tells Oscar to turn the dimmer off, everything turns chaotic. The pump goes crazy, and the volcano erupts, slathering everyone in glop! Oscar turned the switch all the way on rather than off. Before Whit can stop Robyn, she chews Oscar out, almost completely sinking his fragile self-esteem.

Later, when Robyn is cleaning up the room, Whit talks to her about her outburst and reveals Oscar's dyslexia problem. Robyn says she feels terrible for Oscar. But Whit tells Robyn that her words aren't good enough. The Bible teaches us to practice agape love - unconditional love - even if people don't deserve it. Whit explains that's the kind of love Jesus had for us. Robyn sees her mistake. When Oscar pops in to help with the cleanup, Robyn apologizes and suggests that they build a newer, better volcano. Oscar agrees...and Whit smiles at agape in action.

Discussion Questions

1. Did Robyn have a right to be angry with Oscar?
   • Explain.
2. Do you know anyone with dyslexia?
   • If so, how would you handle working with him or her on a project?
3. How can you practice agape love today?

Cast

Characters	Actors
Connie Kendall	Katie Leigh
John Whittaker	Hal Smith
Oscar Peterson	Joseph Cammaroto
Pamela (b)	Natalie Buffington
Robyn Jacobs	Sage Bolte
Mr. Southworth	Phil Lollar

Notes

Trivia

• The model volcano sound effects were created with a generator (the pump motor), hair gel puffed through a straw into a bottle (the lava), and mud in a wastepaper basket splattered on the floor (the explosion).
• In this episode Connie asks how Whit is feeling, and he says his throat is getting better. This suggests that this episode was supposed to air after #65: “Bad Company”, where Whit had a bad cold.
• VERSION DIFFERENCE: In the broadcast version of this episode, while Chris is walking to the park, she is caught jaywalking. She tries to reason her way out of a ticket, but gets one anyway.
• Included on Odyssey DVD 10.

Quotes

Robyn Jacobs: Uh huh, Mr. L-A-P-H himself.

---

Pamela: It ain't over 'till it's over, Robyn.
Mr. Southworth: Isn't.
Pamela: It ain't over 'till it isn't over?
Mr. Southworth: Never mind.

---

Connie Kendall: He [Oscar] even has trouble remembering stuff that should be really familiar. Like one time, we were saying the Lord's Prayer, and when we came to the last part, Oscar said, "For Thine is the kingdom and flower and the laundry forever, Amen".

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John Whittaker: <quoting> Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Joseph Addison.
Connie Kendall: Doing research is a pain in the neck. Connie Kendall.

---

Robyn Jacobs: Alright! Alright! Keep your shirt on!

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