That Meaner Ozzie

Scripture Reference: Ruth 1-4

A lesson in lovingkindness.

Cast:
D.B. – a good albeit not very bright bunny
MISS STARR – the teacher who sets him straight

Props:
None

(Skit start with MISS STARR on stage after completing the prayer requests. D.B. enters.)

D.B.: (shouting) Oh, yeah! Well, I am not your friend either!

MISS STARR: D.B.! Who in the world are you talking to?

D.B.: Oh. Hi, Miss Starr. I am talking to that stinky old meaner Ozzie. (looks down and blows a raspberry)

MISS STARR: Did he do something mean to you?

D.B.: Well, of course he did.

MISS STARR: I was just…

D.B.: I mean, if he had done something nice, I would still be his friend.

MISS STARR: I understand, but…

D.B.: You cannot stop being someone’s friend because they are nice.

MISS STARR: That makes sense, but you see…

D.B.: You cannot say, “Oh, you are so very nice, so I cannot be your friend.”

MISS STARR: Well, no, but…

D.B.: That does not make any sense, Miss Starr.

MISS STARR: (relenting) Sorry about that, D.B. What was it that Ozzie did that was so mean?

D.B.: I loaned him my Limited Edition Darth Maul Star Wars action figure.

MISS STARR: Oh. And he broke it?

D.B.: No.

MISS STARR: He lost it?

D.B.: No.

MISS STARR: His dog ate it?

D.B.: No.

MISS STARR: (grasping) His Obi-Wan Kenobi action figure destroyed it?

D.B.: Now that is just silly.

MISS STARR: Then what did he do that was so mean?

D.B.: Nothing.

MISS STARR: Nothing? How is that mean?

D.B.: I did this really nice thing for my bestest buddy not expecting anything in return, but then I did not get anything in return.

MISS STARR: Ah. I see.

D.B.: You see what a horrible thing that meaner did to me?

MISS STARR: No, I see a selfish little bunny who only did something nice because of what he could get out of it.

D.B.: Where? Where do you see that?

MISS STARR: Right here in front of me.

D.B.: Oh.

MISS STARR: If you do something nice only because you feel obligated to do it or because of what you’ll get in return, then you really aren’t doing something just to be nice.

D.B.: (sadly) I am not?

MISS STARR: No, you’re doing it for yourself and not the other person.

D.B.: (guiltily) Oh. I guess I should go apologize to Ozzie for calling him a meaner.

MISS STARR: I think that would be a very good start.

D.B.: Bye, Miss Starr.

MISS STARR: Bye, D.B.

Only takes a few minutes for God to touch a life

I tried something different with the puppet skit this week. When it was over, one of the kids said, "What did that mean?" Not a good sign. I'm not ready to abandon my idea, but I need to work on it before I post it. (I only post scripts that I've tried at least once.) Since I have no skit to post this week, I thought I would post this word of encouragement I first saw on the One Way Street blog.

God Can Use Me?

Scripture Reference: Judges 6-7

A lesson in relying on God’s resources.

Cast:
OZZIE – a mischievous little monster
MR. JEFF – the puppeteer
MR. MIKE – the teacher who sets him straight

Props:
none

(MR. MIKE is on stage. OZZIE appears shortly after MR. MIKE starts speaking.)

MR. MIKE: While we are waiting for Ozzie, let me tell you we’ll be studying Gideon today. His story shows us that we need to rely on God’s help to get things done. Because it’s not us doing but God through us, He can use anyone.

OZZIE: Ppppp!

MR. MIKE: Oh hi, Ozzie. Don’t you believe that?

OZZIE: Mr. Mike. God can’t use just anyone.

MR. MIKE: Sure He can. He can even use you, Ozzie.

OZZIE: Me?!? No way! I’m too little.

MR. MIKE: David was little, but he slew the giant Goliath.

OZZIE: Yeah, but I’m too young.

MR. MIKE: Timothy was young, but he was a great helper to Paul. Paul even told him not to let anyone “despise you for your youth.”

OZZIE: But I’m not even a person.

MR. MIKE: The Bible says, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

OZZIE: But I don’t have breath; I’m a puppet!

MR. MIKE: Jesus told the Pharisees that if the people didn’t praise Him that the “stones would cry out.”

OZZIE: I feel vaguely insulted by that, but no matter. I don’t talk so good. In case you haven’t noticed I lisp.

MR. MIKE: Moses told God that he didn’t speak well, but God still used him to free Israel from slavery.

OZZIE: And I’m not very educated.

MR. MIKE: Peter was a fisherman and probably never went to school, but he brought thousands to salvation.

OZZIE: Plus I’m green! Does the Bible say anything about being GREEN?!?

MR. MIKE: Hmmm. In Psalms it says that the righteous “will bear fruit” and “stay fresh and green.”

OZZIE: So you’re saying that God can use me even though I’m a little green monster with a lisp?

MR. MIKE: He loves using little green monsters with a lisp.

OZZIE: He can use anyone?

MR. MIKE: Anyone.

OZZIE: He can use you?

MR. MIKE: He can use me.

OZZIE: And all these funny-looking kids?

MR. MIKE: They’re not that funny looking, and yes, He can use them, too.

OZZIE: (stage whisper) He can even use Mr. Jeff?

MR. MIKE: As hard as that is to believe, He can even use Mr. Jeff.

MR. JEFF: (from behind the stage) I can hear you.

OZZIE: That’s so exciting that God can use me! (thinks for a moment) How can God use me?

MR. MIKE: Well, each time you come to class, God uses you to help teach the kiddos.

OZZIE: Yeah! What else?

MR. MIKE: I don’t know, Ozzie. That’s between you and God. Pray and ask God, and I know He’ll show you.

OZZIE: Ooooh! I know what else I can do!

MR. MIKE: What’s that?

OZZIE: You said everything that has breath should praise God.

MR. MIKE: (suspiciously) Yeah.

OZZIE: Well, I’m going to go teach my pet worm Squiggly to sing “Awesome God.” (disappears)

MR. MIKE: Ozzie!