I Can’t Believe I Ate the Hole Thing

Scripture Reference: John 21
A lesson about forgiveness and hope.

Cast:
OZZIE – an excitable little monster
MR. MIKE – the teacher who sets him straight

Props:
None

(OZZIE peeks out of the puppet stage and talks to the kids.)

OZZIE: (whispering) Pssst. Have you guys seen Mr. Mike.

MR. MIKE: (steps into view) I’m right here, Ozzie.

OZZIE: (startled) Oh. Hi, Mr. Mike.

MR. MIKE: What’s going on?

OZZIE: Not much. What’s going on with you?

MR. MIKE: I mean why don’t you come all the way out here?

OZZIE: Oh, I’m fine just here. No worries. Not feeling guilty about nothing. Nope, no guilt here. No reason for anybody to be mad. No reason for anybody to accuse anybody else of doing anything wrong. No reason for anybody to be so racked with guilt that I can’t see straight.

MR. MIKE: I do not know what you’re talking about.

OZZIE: Doughnut! I don’t know anything about any missing doughnuts. Are there doughnuts missing? Did Jessie tell you something? I never did trust her.

MR. MIKE: What? Oh. I didn’t say “doughnut.” I said “do not.” You are acting stranger than usual, Ozzie, and that’s saying a lot.

OZZIE: (coming on stage completely and flailing his arms) I can’t stand it anymore! You’ve forced the confession out of me! Yes, I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it! I stand before you as guilty as guilty can be.

MR. MIKE: What are you talking about?

OZZIE: You mean you don’t know?

MR. MIKE: Know what?

OZZIE: Oh. Never mind.

MR. MIKE: Ozzie!

OZZIE: OK, OK, OK. You know how you bring doughnuts to church every week?

MR. MIKE: Yes.

OZZIE: I ate ‘em.

MR. MIKE: That’s OK. I bring them, so people can eat them.

OZZIE: No, you don’t understand. I at all of them.

MR. MIKE: (surprised) All of them?!?

OZZIE: Uh huh.

MR. MIKE: Oh my. That’s a lot of doughnuts.

OZZIE: I know. I’m a terrible little monster. I’ll understand if you never forgive me and hate me forever and ever and ever.

MR. MIKE: I’m not very happy with what you did, but I could never hate you.

OZZIE: Really?

MR. MIKE: Really. And I forgive you.

OZZIE: You do?

MR. MIKE: Of course I do. More importantly, God forgives you, too.

OZZIE: He does?!?

MR. MIKE: Never give up hope with God. If you go to Him and confess, He’s always ready to forgive you.

OZZIE: Wow! No matter what?

MR. MIKE: No matter what.

OZZIE: No matter how despicable I act?

MR. MIKE: No matter how despicable you act.

OZZIE: No matter how big I sin?

MR. MIKE: No matter how big you sin.

OZZIE: You’ll forgive me too, Mr. Mike.

MR. MIKE: Always. God forgives me. The least I can do is forgive others.

OZZIE: That’s great news.

MR. MIKE: Why’s that?

OZZIE: Cause I drank all the coffee, too. (exits quickly)

MR. MIKE: Ozzie!