The Body
Drama
Thespian Theology
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany
Thespian Theological Thoughts
This play got out of hand as it was unfolding. The silly, sophomoric humor about the body ("Phew! You smell pretty bad!") was dragging it down into a pit from which there seemed to be no escape.
So I prayed.
God, help me -- I don't know what to do with this mess!
And God sent me Paul, striding down the center aisle, to explain his Corinthian letter to my characters ... and to me!
Cast
Narrator
Body
Foot
Ear
Paul
Voice of God (offstage)
Props/Costumes
Foot -- sign: "Foot"
Ear -- sign: "Ear"
(Narrator is at podium, stage left)
Narrator: Once-upon-a-time, there was a body. (Body enters stage right; flexes muscles, strikes various poses) Now, this was just your average, run-of-the-mill body, you understand. It was certainly no Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Body looks offended) But one day, this body's parts decided to go on strike.
(Foot enters stage left, wearing a sign: "Foot")
Foot: Because I'm not a hand, I don't belong to the body (Exits stage right)
Body: (Limps behind Foot) Hey, come back here!
(Ear enters stage right, wearing sign: "Ear" ... bumps into Body)
Ear: Ooops! Hey, because I'm not an eye, I don't belong to the body.
Body: Huh? Speak up, man, I can't hear you.
Ear: I said, because I'm not an eye, I don't belong to the body.
Body: Whazzat? Ya gotta speak up, mate!
Ear: I said ... Oh, never mind. (Starts to exit stage left, then stops) Hmmm, I just had a thought: If the whole body were hearing, how would you smell? (Goes back toward Body and sniffs) Phew! You smell pretty bad! (Exits stage left)
Body: (Limps around the stage) What's happenin' here! I can hardly walk, and everybody mumbles all the time!
(Paul enters down the center aisle)
Paul: Hold it, hold it, hold it! That isn't what I meant at all. You guys have it all messed up.
Narrator: What are you talking about?
Body: And who are you?
Paul: My name is Saul of Tarsus -- better known as Paul the Apostle. And I strenuously object to the way you're making chopped liver out of my teaching on diversity and unity within the body of Christ.
Body: Oh, so that's what this is all about!
Paul: Well, of course that's what it's about! What did you think?
Narrator: I dunno, Paul. But I always wondered why you were talking about ears wanting to be eyes, and bodies smelling badly.
Body: Excuse me?
Paul: Hey, you two: Do you want to learn anything here, or not?
Narrator/Body: Say what?
Paul: If you two will stop fooling around with this silly third-grade humor, you might learn something worthwhile. Are you ready for that?
Narrator/Body: Ummm ... Okay.
Paul: Good for you! Now, first of all: I used the human body as an analogy.
Narrator/Body: A what?
Paul: An analogy. It's a comparison which is used to make a point. I'm comparing the body of Christ to a human body.
Body: But Jesus had a human body, didn't he?
Paul: Yes, he did ... but don't you know what the body of Christ is?
Body: Sure I do. It's hangin' there on the crucifix!
Paul: No, no, no. The body of Christ is you and me: God's people in the world ... the church.
Narrator: Oh, that body of Christ!
Paul: Yes, that body of Christ. Now, where were we?
Body: You were making anagolies.
Paul: Analogy. I made an analogy --Êa comparison -- between the church and a human body. I was trying to show that, while each one of us in the church has a different set of gifts, we are all one in Christ, and we need to maintain our unity.
Narrator/Body: Huh?
Paul: Okay, you guys still aren't getting it, are you? Let me put it to you this way: I was writing to the people of the church in Corinth. These folks were somethin' else, let me tell you! Individuals in this church had wonderful gifts, and many of them offered these gifts to the Lord. But some of the people in Corinth had been made to feel that their gifts were inferior.
Narrator: Oh, you mean like "You don't prophesy or speak in tongues, so you're not as important as I am!"
Paul: Exactly. So I was telling these Corinthians -- all of them -- that the body of Christ (the church) is kinda like your physical body. (Points to Body) Look at you: You are made up of many different parts, but you are one body.
Body: Yup!
Paul: And your foot needs to function as a foot in order for you to be healthy, right?
Body: (Limps around) That's right!
(Foot and Ear enter; they hug Body)
Foot/Ear: We're sorry, Body!
Body: (Jumps for joy) Oh, man! That feels better!
Paul: And it's the same with the body of Christ: Each one of us has a unique set of gifts, and we need to exercise those gifts in order for the body to be healthy. We shouldn't feel put down because our gift isn't as "important" (Makes quotes sign) as someone else's gift.
Body: You mean I shouldn't feel bad about myself if I can't slam-dunk like Michael Jordan?
Paul: Exactly! God didn't create you to be Michael Jordan; he created Michael for that purpose.
Body: Well, that's a relief. What you're saying is that I've just gotta be me, huh?
Paul: Exactly! You have to be the best you that you can be. That's all God asks of you.
Body: Cool!
Paul: And there's another half to this, you know.
Body: Whazzat?
Paul: In the same way that you don't need to feel put down by others' gifts, you must not put others down because you think their gifts are less "important" (Makes quotes sign) than yours, okay?
Body: Okay.
Paul: And the reason for all of this is ... what?
Body: Ummmmm ...
Paul: The reason God gives you these gifts is so that you will use them to help others in the body, and bring glory to ... (Paul spreads his hands, asking a question)
All: God!
Paul: Right! So now you've learned about the diversity and unity of the body of Christ, right?
All: Huh?
Paul: One body, many parts!
All: Oh ... yeah!
Ear: (To Body) But I still think you need to take a shower, buddy!
Paul: (Spreads his hands and looks heavenward) Sheesh! Lord, what am I gonna do with these bozos?
Voice of God: (Offstage) Love them as I love them ... and give glory to God.
This play got out of hand as it was unfolding. The silly, sophomoric humor about the body ("Phew! You smell pretty bad!") was dragging it down into a pit from which there seemed to be no escape.
So I prayed.
God, help me -- I don't know what to do with this mess!
And God sent me Paul, striding down the center aisle, to explain his Corinthian letter to my characters ... and to me!
Cast
Narrator
Body
Foot
Ear
Paul
Voice of God (offstage)
Props/Costumes
Foot -- sign: "Foot"
Ear -- sign: "Ear"
(Narrator is at podium, stage left)
Narrator: Once-upon-a-time, there was a body. (Body enters stage right; flexes muscles, strikes various poses) Now, this was just your average, run-of-the-mill body, you understand. It was certainly no Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Body looks offended) But one day, this body's parts decided to go on strike.
(Foot enters stage left, wearing a sign: "Foot")
Foot: Because I'm not a hand, I don't belong to the body (Exits stage right)
Body: (Limps behind Foot) Hey, come back here!
(Ear enters stage right, wearing sign: "Ear" ... bumps into Body)
Ear: Ooops! Hey, because I'm not an eye, I don't belong to the body.
Body: Huh? Speak up, man, I can't hear you.
Ear: I said, because I'm not an eye, I don't belong to the body.
Body: Whazzat? Ya gotta speak up, mate!
Ear: I said ... Oh, never mind. (Starts to exit stage left, then stops) Hmmm, I just had a thought: If the whole body were hearing, how would you smell? (Goes back toward Body and sniffs) Phew! You smell pretty bad! (Exits stage left)
Body: (Limps around the stage) What's happenin' here! I can hardly walk, and everybody mumbles all the time!
(Paul enters down the center aisle)
Paul: Hold it, hold it, hold it! That isn't what I meant at all. You guys have it all messed up.
Narrator: What are you talking about?
Body: And who are you?
Paul: My name is Saul of Tarsus -- better known as Paul the Apostle. And I strenuously object to the way you're making chopped liver out of my teaching on diversity and unity within the body of Christ.
Body: Oh, so that's what this is all about!
Paul: Well, of course that's what it's about! What did you think?
Narrator: I dunno, Paul. But I always wondered why you were talking about ears wanting to be eyes, and bodies smelling badly.
Body: Excuse me?
Paul: Hey, you two: Do you want to learn anything here, or not?
Narrator/Body: Say what?
Paul: If you two will stop fooling around with this silly third-grade humor, you might learn something worthwhile. Are you ready for that?
Narrator/Body: Ummm ... Okay.
Paul: Good for you! Now, first of all: I used the human body as an analogy.
Narrator/Body: A what?
Paul: An analogy. It's a comparison which is used to make a point. I'm comparing the body of Christ to a human body.
Body: But Jesus had a human body, didn't he?
Paul: Yes, he did ... but don't you know what the body of Christ is?
Body: Sure I do. It's hangin' there on the crucifix!
Paul: No, no, no. The body of Christ is you and me: God's people in the world ... the church.
Narrator: Oh, that body of Christ!
Paul: Yes, that body of Christ. Now, where were we?
Body: You were making anagolies.
Paul: Analogy. I made an analogy --Êa comparison -- between the church and a human body. I was trying to show that, while each one of us in the church has a different set of gifts, we are all one in Christ, and we need to maintain our unity.
Narrator/Body: Huh?
Paul: Okay, you guys still aren't getting it, are you? Let me put it to you this way: I was writing to the people of the church in Corinth. These folks were somethin' else, let me tell you! Individuals in this church had wonderful gifts, and many of them offered these gifts to the Lord. But some of the people in Corinth had been made to feel that their gifts were inferior.
Narrator: Oh, you mean like "You don't prophesy or speak in tongues, so you're not as important as I am!"
Paul: Exactly. So I was telling these Corinthians -- all of them -- that the body of Christ (the church) is kinda like your physical body. (Points to Body) Look at you: You are made up of many different parts, but you are one body.
Body: Yup!
Paul: And your foot needs to function as a foot in order for you to be healthy, right?
Body: (Limps around) That's right!
(Foot and Ear enter; they hug Body)
Foot/Ear: We're sorry, Body!
Body: (Jumps for joy) Oh, man! That feels better!
Paul: And it's the same with the body of Christ: Each one of us has a unique set of gifts, and we need to exercise those gifts in order for the body to be healthy. We shouldn't feel put down because our gift isn't as "important" (Makes quotes sign) as someone else's gift.
Body: You mean I shouldn't feel bad about myself if I can't slam-dunk like Michael Jordan?
Paul: Exactly! God didn't create you to be Michael Jordan; he created Michael for that purpose.
Body: Well, that's a relief. What you're saying is that I've just gotta be me, huh?
Paul: Exactly! You have to be the best you that you can be. That's all God asks of you.
Body: Cool!
Paul: And there's another half to this, you know.
Body: Whazzat?
Paul: In the same way that you don't need to feel put down by others' gifts, you must not put others down because you think their gifts are less "important" (Makes quotes sign) than yours, okay?
Body: Okay.
Paul: And the reason for all of this is ... what?
Body: Ummmmm ...
Paul: The reason God gives you these gifts is so that you will use them to help others in the body, and bring glory to ... (Paul spreads his hands, asking a question)
All: God!
Paul: Right! So now you've learned about the diversity and unity of the body of Christ, right?
All: Huh?
Paul: One body, many parts!
All: Oh ... yeah!
Ear: (To Body) But I still think you need to take a shower, buddy!
Paul: (Spreads his hands and looks heavenward) Sheesh! Lord, what am I gonna do with these bozos?
Voice of God: (Offstage) Love them as I love them ... and give glory to God.
