Time
15 minutes
Description
This Quick Drama teaches that God wants to make us into the image of His Son, Jesus. We often think that we should do the work, but God is the only One who can successfully and permanently change us. Even though God wants to change us, He loves us like we are today. He also loves us too much to leave us that way. (This Quick Drama was inspired by God’s Chisel, written by The Skit Guys. It’s an excellent drama that you can find at http://www.skitguys.com/store/detail/188/. I wrote this one to appeal more to kids, but the original is the best.)
Audience
Children, youth, adults
Materials
o Tool belt
o Assorted tools to fill the tool belt
o Hammer
o Chisel (metal is preferred for the sound it makes)
o Hand mirror
Preparation
o Practice the script.
Script
Brad: [Enters with a mirror is his hand. He is admiring himself in the mirror. He also has a heavily loaded tool belt and is using one of the tools to “polish” himself and make himself look even better.] Oh, darling! You….look….mahhhhh-velous!
GOD: [Appears] Hey, Brad! Whatcha doing?
Brad: [Embarrassed] Oh, uh… [Remembers mirror in his hand, looks at it briefly and then hides it behind his back] Nothing, really.
GOD: So, did you like what you saw?
Brad: Uh, well…yeah! Yeah! I guess I did! Is there anything wrong with that?
GOD: Who did you see when you looked in the mirror?
Brad: Well, me, of course!
GOD: That’s the problem. You see, Brad, what you’re supposed to is the image of my Son, Jesus.
Brad: Oh. [Realizes his error] But I don’t know how to do that.
GOD: That’s okay. In fact, it’s why I’m here. [Pulls out a hammer and chisel from Brad’s tool belt]
Brad: What are you going to do with those?
GOD: These are my shaping tools. With them, I will chip away anything that doesn’t look my Son.
Brad: Okay, will it hurt?
GOD: Sometimes. You’ve added a lot of stuff that wasn’t in my original design, and it’s got to come off.
Brad: Okay, but make it fast, please.
GOD: [Chisels loudly] You’ve been unkind to your brothers and sisters a lot lately.
Brad: Owww! I know. [Hangs head}
GOD: [Chisels loudly] And you’ve been stuffing your bad feelings deep down inside.
Brad: Owww! But what else can I do with them? No one listens to me!
GOD: I do. [Chisels loudly] You’ve shown disrespect to both your parents and your teachers.
Brad: Owww! Wait! Can we stop? This really hurts!
GOD: We can take a break, but you should know that these areas grow bigger when you don’t let me work on them.
Brad: God, what’s the use? I’m never going to be like Jesus. He’s perfect, and I’m…I’m…I’m just messed up. I can’t be fixed.
GOD: Brad, what do you think I see when I look at you?
Brad: A disappointment.
GOD: Not at all! You know what I see? My masterpiece! My glorious creation! My beautiful, wonderful child! I’ve never made a piece of junk, and I never will. I only make masterpieces.
Brad: [Looking down at his feet and shuffling them on the ground] But I sin, God! I mess up! I do things I’m not supposed to do!
GOD: Brad, you can never be a disappointment to me, because my expectations for change in your life aren’t based on your efforts. I’m the one who is responsible for changing you. All you have to do is surrender. Trust me to do my work. I’ll take care of the rest.
Brad: Oh, God, that sounds great, and I want it to be true, but it seems too easy.
GOD: Oh, I never said it was going to be easy. Simple maybe, but it’s almost never easy. Trusting me takes lots of practice. Every day, you’re going to want to try to take the tools back in your hands and change yourself, but you’ve got to let me do the work.
Brad: Okay, Lord. Can we take it one day at a time, though?
GOD: Of course, Brad. Ready for some more chiseling?
Brad: Uh, would tomorrow be okay? I’m a little chiseled out.
GOD: Sure, Brad. Tomorrow. [Both Exit]
Teach Them 