Adventures in Odyssey Home Page

My Brother's Keeper

Album: Gold Audio: The Lost Episodes

Episode: 15

Lesson/Theme: Sibling conflict.

Bible Verse: Proverbs 12:18

Characters: Whit, Tom

Writer: Paul McCusker

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: February 27, 1988

Last Air Date: January 1, 1987

Description:
Twelve-year-old Phillip Callas has a problem-namely, his six-year-old brother, Dean. Dean is constantly getting himself and Phillip into trouble. Once, Dean nearly destroyed a special school project Phillip had recorded on his tape player. Then, later at baseball practice, Dean embarrassed Phillip by making a pre-supper snack out of a large bug. Phillip blows up at Dean, then sends him home, alone. Phillip half-jokingly wishes that something would happen to his little brother-until the phone rings, and his mother informs him that Dean never made it home. He's missing. With Whit's help, Phillip searches for Dean. They find him in the bottom of a large hole at a construction site. Dean has taken a nasty fall and is unconscious. They rush him to the hospital. Phillip is upset, believing the whole thing is his fault. He hadn't really wanted anything to happen to Dean. Whit comforts Phillip and prays with him. As Phillip talks to God, Phillip realizes that Dean isn't such a bad kid after all. Fortunately, aside from having a small concussion and some bruises and scratches, Dean is all right. Phillip goes into Dean's hospital room. There, Phillip apologizes for treating Dean so badly and says that Dean can play with anything he wants when he gets home. And of course, the one thing Dean wants to play with is Phillip's tape player.

Questions:
How should Phillip have handled the situation with Dean? Have you ever treated your younger brother or sister, or even a friend at school or at church, the way Phillip treated Dean? What does it mean to love your brothers and sisters?