Apples and Acorns

Apples and Acorns

Cast:  Two actors, any age and any gender.

Set:  Any stage where a little water can be spilled.

First actor walks up with a partially full glass of water in hand and a bottle of water in his/her back pocket.  These will come into play later in the skit.  The second actor has about 15 seconds alone on stage before being joined by the second.  He/she is walking around as if looking up at a tree for fruit.  He/she occasionally looks on the ground and picks up feet and picks out acorns.

What’s ya doin’?

Looking for ripe apples?

Find any?

Nope!

Good.  I would have been surprised if you did.

Really?

Yes.  That’s an Oak tree.

You don’t say.  When does it put out apples?

I do say and it doesn’t.  It does acorns.  See you are standing on a bunch of them.

Those crunchy sounding things?

Yes.  Those are acorns.

But I want to pick some apples.

Then you need to find an apple tree.

That’s how it works, huh?

That’s exactly how it works.

I guess that explains why I couldn’t find any figs on that thorn bush last week.

Same principle except that literally comes out of the Bible.

You don’t say.

I do say.  You didn’t try to pick any grapes from briars, did you?

No.  Why?

Just wanted to see how close to the original example you got.

What example?

Jesus said that a good tree doesn’t give bad fruit and a bad tree can't give good fruit.  You would no more go looking for figs on a thorn bush than you would grapes in a briar patch.

Jesus was into horticulture, huh?

Actually, he just used examples that people could relate to easily.

Why do people need to know about grapes and briars?  I thought Jesus was about life.

He was and is!  He said whatever you have in your heart is what will come out as your fruit.  If you are filled with hate, then that’s what people will see as your fruit.  If it’s goodness, then that’s what will come out as your fruit.

Cool.  I guess.  I don’t know that I quite get it.

[Takes water bottle out of back pocket.]  Here, hold this glass.  [Tops off with water].  I want to get it very full.

You did.  It’s all the way to the top.

Good.  [Grabs shoulder and pulls along for a few steps.]  Now come with me.

Hey!  I am spilling this all over.

Exactly.  Whatever is stored up inside is what comes out when you encounter the world.  It’s you fruit.  So if your heart is filled with love, then love is what comes out as your fruit.

[Cocking head to reveal receipt of an epiphany.]  And if your heart is filled with orneriness, then orneriness is what comes out as your fruit.

Ouch!  You do understand.

I guess that I had better find an apple tree and keep my heart full of love.  That’s what I want to come out the next time I spill my cup.

Me too.  Love, maybe seasoned with a little oneriness…

The end.