Airmail
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
56 Vignettes For Cycle C
Theme
Are we, as Christians, doing what Christ asks us to do everyday or are we content to just be Christians?
Summary
Don, an average Christian businessman going through the mail, is throwing out the junk when a letter catches his eye and he begins to read it. It convicts him of his non-involvement in the active Christian life. A monologue.
Playing Time
3 minutes
Setting
Don's home
Props
Lots of junk mail
Costumes
Contemporary, casual
Time
The present
Cast
DON -- a Christian businessman
DON: (GOING THROUGH THE MAIL) Honey! Honey! I thought you went through all this junk mail. Honey! What a bunch of junk. I thought when I became a Christian the Lord would protect me from all this mail. Now, all this junk mail I get is Christian junk mail. (READING DIFFERENT ENVELOPES BEFORE DUMPING THEM IN THE TRASH) "Pueblos for the Poor," "The way of joyful beginnings," "The newest book from the Christian Cookery Institute: The Wok of Christ." (ONE CATCHES HIS EYE) "Don't miss this opportunity!" (TALKING TO THE ENVELOPE) Okay, I won't toss you in the trash, yet. What do you have to offer? (TURNING ENVELOPE OVER AND READING THE BACK) "Open me up and you will see what I have to offer!" (TALKING TO THE ENVELOPE AS HE OPENS IT) This better be something really worthwhile. (TOSSING THE ENVELOPE IN THE TRASH AND READING THE LETTER) Dear Don, This is something really worthwhile. A free offer. (TO HIMSELF) Sure, you say, another free offer. (READING AGAIN. STARTS TO THROW LETTER IN TRASH BUT HIS EYE IS CAUGHT BY THE NEXT LINE. HE READS ON.) Don't throw this letter in the trash. Wait until you have read all of it. I know your Christian life is not what it should be. (TALKING TO LETTER) It's true. But how would you know? (INTRIGUED NOW, HE READS ON) It's true, isn't it? How do I know? I know because you think you have arrived. Sure, you're saved by grace. Sure, you enjoy the fellowship of other Christians in the Body of Christ -- the Church. But do you live the abundant life as the Bible promises? (TALKING TO HIMSELF) No. No, I don't. (READING) No. No, you don't. (HE'S SPOOKED A BIT) Honey! (READING) Don't call your wife. This is your responsibility. (TALKING TO LETTER) Sorry. (READING) That's all right. It's natural to be a little upset with yourself. You thought that becoming a Christian was all you had to do. And now you've settled for going to church on Sunday morning and putting your money in the collection plate. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) It's true. I do want more. But how? (READING) How do you get more of the abundant Christian life? I'll tell you how. By living God's Word! (TALKING TO THE LETTER) Huh? (READING) Pay attention. In the next paragraph I'll tell you what that means. Your neighbor has no winter coat. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) He doesn't? (READING) What are you going to do about it? (TALKING TO THE LETTER) I have a feeling praying is not the answer. (READING) Prayer alone is not the answer. Do something. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) I could give him my coat. I do have two winter coats. I could give him my oldest one. (PAUSE FOR A THOUGHT) All right. I'll give him the newest one. The one I like the best. All right, I'll do it. (READING IT) You'll feel good when you share with others. (TALKING TO LETTER) I do. I really do feel good. I guess I've known all along I should do something like this. You know what? If he doesn't have enough food either, I could share my food with him, too. That would make me feel real good. What else? (READING) What else can you do, you ask? Be fair in your business. (TALKING TO LETTER) I guess that had to come up sometime. I have dealt a little questionably with a couple of my customers. I guess I'd better not do that again. (READING) You'd better make it right with them. (TALKING TO LETTER) Do you mean I have to go back to them? (READING) Yes. Go back to them and tell them what you did and tell them you will make it right. (TALKING TO LETTER; PAUSE FOR THOUGHT) No. it's too much. I can't do it. Why can't I just go forward a changed man? Hey, that sounds pretty good. (READING) In your heart you know you have to make it right. If you don't, your heart is really not changed, is it? (TALKING TO LETTER) My heart is changed. I want the abundant life. I want to live all for the Lord Jesus Christ. Okay, I'll do it. I'll go back to them and tell them and I'll make it right. (READING) Good. You've made a decision to live as a servant of God. Now do it in the power of God that you have available to you. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) I know, don't tell me. Read my Bible, right? And pray, right? And open myself up to my Christian friends and care for them. Right? Right? Right? (READING) Now you are on the right track. Stick close to God. He has always been near you. (TALKING TO LETTER) God has always been close to me. I just didn't realize it. How close has God been to me? (READING) I am with you always, even until the end of all time, Love, Jesus. (CALLING TO WIFE) Honey! I've got something to share with you, dear.
Are we, as Christians, doing what Christ asks us to do everyday or are we content to just be Christians?
Summary
Don, an average Christian businessman going through the mail, is throwing out the junk when a letter catches his eye and he begins to read it. It convicts him of his non-involvement in the active Christian life. A monologue.
Playing Time
3 minutes
Setting
Don's home
Props
Lots of junk mail
Costumes
Contemporary, casual
Time
The present
Cast
DON -- a Christian businessman
DON: (GOING THROUGH THE MAIL) Honey! Honey! I thought you went through all this junk mail. Honey! What a bunch of junk. I thought when I became a Christian the Lord would protect me from all this mail. Now, all this junk mail I get is Christian junk mail. (READING DIFFERENT ENVELOPES BEFORE DUMPING THEM IN THE TRASH) "Pueblos for the Poor," "The way of joyful beginnings," "The newest book from the Christian Cookery Institute: The Wok of Christ." (ONE CATCHES HIS EYE) "Don't miss this opportunity!" (TALKING TO THE ENVELOPE) Okay, I won't toss you in the trash, yet. What do you have to offer? (TURNING ENVELOPE OVER AND READING THE BACK) "Open me up and you will see what I have to offer!" (TALKING TO THE ENVELOPE AS HE OPENS IT) This better be something really worthwhile. (TOSSING THE ENVELOPE IN THE TRASH AND READING THE LETTER) Dear Don, This is something really worthwhile. A free offer. (TO HIMSELF) Sure, you say, another free offer. (READING AGAIN. STARTS TO THROW LETTER IN TRASH BUT HIS EYE IS CAUGHT BY THE NEXT LINE. HE READS ON.) Don't throw this letter in the trash. Wait until you have read all of it. I know your Christian life is not what it should be. (TALKING TO LETTER) It's true. But how would you know? (INTRIGUED NOW, HE READS ON) It's true, isn't it? How do I know? I know because you think you have arrived. Sure, you're saved by grace. Sure, you enjoy the fellowship of other Christians in the Body of Christ -- the Church. But do you live the abundant life as the Bible promises? (TALKING TO HIMSELF) No. No, I don't. (READING) No. No, you don't. (HE'S SPOOKED A BIT) Honey! (READING) Don't call your wife. This is your responsibility. (TALKING TO LETTER) Sorry. (READING) That's all right. It's natural to be a little upset with yourself. You thought that becoming a Christian was all you had to do. And now you've settled for going to church on Sunday morning and putting your money in the collection plate. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) It's true. I do want more. But how? (READING) How do you get more of the abundant Christian life? I'll tell you how. By living God's Word! (TALKING TO THE LETTER) Huh? (READING) Pay attention. In the next paragraph I'll tell you what that means. Your neighbor has no winter coat. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) He doesn't? (READING) What are you going to do about it? (TALKING TO THE LETTER) I have a feeling praying is not the answer. (READING) Prayer alone is not the answer. Do something. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) I could give him my coat. I do have two winter coats. I could give him my oldest one. (PAUSE FOR A THOUGHT) All right. I'll give him the newest one. The one I like the best. All right, I'll do it. (READING IT) You'll feel good when you share with others. (TALKING TO LETTER) I do. I really do feel good. I guess I've known all along I should do something like this. You know what? If he doesn't have enough food either, I could share my food with him, too. That would make me feel real good. What else? (READING) What else can you do, you ask? Be fair in your business. (TALKING TO LETTER) I guess that had to come up sometime. I have dealt a little questionably with a couple of my customers. I guess I'd better not do that again. (READING) You'd better make it right with them. (TALKING TO LETTER) Do you mean I have to go back to them? (READING) Yes. Go back to them and tell them what you did and tell them you will make it right. (TALKING TO LETTER; PAUSE FOR THOUGHT) No. it's too much. I can't do it. Why can't I just go forward a changed man? Hey, that sounds pretty good. (READING) In your heart you know you have to make it right. If you don't, your heart is really not changed, is it? (TALKING TO LETTER) My heart is changed. I want the abundant life. I want to live all for the Lord Jesus Christ. Okay, I'll do it. I'll go back to them and tell them and I'll make it right. (READING) Good. You've made a decision to live as a servant of God. Now do it in the power of God that you have available to you. (TALKING TO THE LETTER) I know, don't tell me. Read my Bible, right? And pray, right? And open myself up to my Christian friends and care for them. Right? Right? Right? (READING) Now you are on the right track. Stick close to God. He has always been near you. (TALKING TO LETTER) God has always been close to me. I just didn't realize it. How close has God been to me? (READING) I am with you always, even until the end of all time, Love, Jesus. (CALLING TO WIFE) Honey! I've got something to share with you, dear.
