Grumpiest Old Men - James 1

Grumpiest Old Men

James 1

Cast:  2 older men. These are longtime friends with much dryness to their banter.

Set:  Anywhere a bench or 2 chairs may be set as a park bench.  Action proceeds in dialogue.  Script or notes may be hidden in props (newspaper) if used.  Both enter stage walking towards each other.

Lights up.

Putz

Bonehead.

[Both take seats and break out a newspaper.]

So, how’s life treating you?

You know, running the good race.

That’s good.

[Putz stares at Bonehead’s shoes and then at bonehead.

Bonehead stares back.

Back and forth stares continue for a few rounds.]

What?

You have your shoes on the wrong feet.

[Back and forth stares resume.

Bonehead raises hands with palms upward.]

Wrong feet?

Wrong feet.

These are the only feet that I have.

Why do I put up with you?

Maybe because I help you grow.

What?

Maybe, I am a trial in your race of faith and I help you grow.

Where did you come up with that?

The Bible.

You are not supposed to be making stuff up and claiming it’s in the Bible.

I’m not.  It’s right here in the book of James.

[Sacastically]  Right.

It’s there alright as sure as my shoes are on the right feet.

That doesn’t sound like biblespeak.

What?

You, know, biblespeak.  Thou shalt not.  Thus saith the Lord.  And he spaketh to them a parable.

OK, I get it.  But it’s in the Bible, the first part of the first chapter of James.

That your boneheadedness is helping me grow?

Actually, James says to consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.

That’s an ox, moron.

Don’t call me a moron!

What else can I call it.  Joy and trials don’t go together.  It’s an ox moron.

Oh, you mean oxymoron.

Yeah, one of them things.

That’s what makes reading James fun.  He challenges us with things that disrupt our comfort zones.

Why would he do that.  Is he some kind of rabble rouser?

If you are comfortable in your discipleship just the way it is, then that is exactly what he is.

What if I like my comfort zone but know that I need to grow?

Then James is the perfect book to read.

But considering my trials to be joy—pure joy at that—just doesn’t seem to fit.

It’s this testing of our faith that produces perseverance and spiritual growth.

Isn’t there another way?

You tell me.  If you want to get strong physically but you won’t put any weights on the lifting bar, how strong do you think you will get?

You are not going to accomplish much unless your have some resistance in your strength program.  Trust me, I didn’t get this fine specimen of a body overnight.

Obviously.

So what you are saying…

What James is saying…

Is that I should look at the things the world throws at me like adding weights to the bar so I can grow in my faith.

Now you’ve got it.

So that covers the Book of James?  I’m feeling good about that.

Oh, there is more.

Much more?

Much more.

Okay, maybe I’ll start reading it.

Do it daily.

Daily?

That’s the challenge.

I’ll need some help.

I know some people who will pray for you.

Will that help?

Their prayers are powerful and effective, but we will get to that part later.

Then until next time.

Next time.

Make sure that your shoes are on the right feet.

Both exit.

The end.