On Fire by God. from Under The Circumstances By Torry Martin. Approximate running time: 10 minutes

Transcription

1 Lillenas Drama Presents On Fire by God from Under The Circumstances By Torry Martin CAST: Approximate running time: 10 minutes WAYNE and LAURA DEAN: a married couple who actually love each other SYNOPSIS: Wayne and Laura are at a barbecue/bible fellowship. Wayne receives a compliment that at first makes his head swell but eventually causes him to think about what he did to deserve it and how to accept it. Laura finds him in the backyard and together they discover a truth so simple it s often overlooked. This touching scene accurately deals with humility, being faithful, and seeking the will of God. SETTING: The outside porch of a house that is hosting a Bible study PROPS: A freestanding porch swing or a bench Table 2 glasses of lemonade (WAYNE is on a freestanding porch swing, thinking. LAURA approaches with two glasses of lemonade.) LAURA: I thought I d find you out here. WAYNE: Hey! Yeah, it was getting a little crowded, so I came out for some fresh air. LAURA: I brought you some lemonade. (WAYNE ignores her, lost in his own thoughts; there is an uncomfortable pause.) Mind if I sit with you? WAYNE: Hmmmm? Oh, sure. (She offers him lemonade, he accepts it.) Thanks, hon. (Takes a sip) LAURA (sits down): So, what s on my handsome husband s mind?

2 WAYNE: Oh, I was just thinking it was time to get your eyes checked. (Looks at LAURA) Handsome, huh? I m more like a handful. (Sips lemonade) LAURA: Not to me, you re not. I ve got you all figured out. WAYNE: Oh, you think so, do you? LAURA: Yep. WAYNE (challenging her): OK, then, tell me why I came outside? LAURA: Easy. One of two reasons. Either you wanted to think something through, or... WAYNE: Or what? LAURA: Or your stomach s upset from Janie s chili. WAYNE (laughing): Lucky for you, it s the former. LAURA: So, what are you thinking about? WAYNE: Oh, you know. (Sets glass down on table) Things. LAURA: Oooooooo, things. (An uncomfortable silence; LAURA attempts to switch subjects.) Sooo, are you glad we came to this Bible study? WAYNE: Hmmm? Oh yeah, I m having a good time. LAURA: So am I. It s a lot easier getting to know people here than it is in the foyer. WAYNE: I know what you mean. (Stands and moves to stage right, obviously bothered by something; he pauses.) Honey, if I told you something, would you promise not to laugh? LAURA (thinking): Hmmmmmmm. No. You ll have to gamble. WAYNE (laughs): I was afraid you d say that. (Pause) OK, here I go. Ya know that lady inside named Myra? LAURA: Myra Stanley? Sure, I see her at some of the women s ministries meetings. She s a real kick. WAYNE: Well, I went over and introduced myself to her and her husband, and she said the weirdest thing to me. (Long pause) LAURA: Well? What did she say? WAYNE: She said she d been wanting to meet me for a long time because she d heard that I was really on fire for God. LAURA (pauses): And? WAYNE (turns to her, surprised): You re not laughing?

3 LAURA (relaxing): Laughing because she said you were on fire for God? No, not at all. WAYNE: Ya wanna know what I did next? LAURA: What? WAYNE: I acted like I didn t hear her, so she d say it again. (Walks back and picks up lemonade for a sip) LAURA (laughing): Now I m laughing. You got a little ego massage, and you weren t used to it, eh? WAYNE (setting glass back down): Yep. LAURA: Did you ask her where she d heard that from? WAYNE: Yeah. LAURA (chuckles again): And? WAYNE: She said she couldn t remember. (Pause) That really frustrated me. LAURA (enjoying this): I bet it did. WAYNE (sarcastically): Obviously she didn t hear it from you. (Steps toward stage right again, his back to LAURA, thinking) I can t figure it out. Who on earth would say something like that about me? LAURA (rising and going to WAYNE): I don t know, but whoever is spreading this vicious rumor must be stopped! WAYNE (stands behind LAURA and wraps his arms around her, both are facing audience): You re pretty funny. (Frustrated) I just wonder what I ever did that would make someone think I was on fire for God. LAURA: Maybe they were referring to the fact that when you first got saved you used to smoke cigarettes when you read your Bible. (She looks up at him.) On fire for God, get it? (She laughs at her own joke.) It was worth a shot. (She kisses him on the cheek and takes a step away.) So, what did you say to Myra after she accused you of being on fire? WAYNE: I told her that, yes indeed I was on fire for God. Then I asked her if she had any kerosene in her purse, as my left leg seemed to have gone out. LAURA (laughing and going back to porch swing and sitting): And you re telling me to be serious? Wayne, you re overreacting! Most people in the church would absolutely love for others to think of them as being on fire for God. Pastors preach whole sermons about becoming on fire for God! I just don t understand why this is bothering you so much. WAYNE (pauses before ashamedly admitting): It s bothering me, Laura, because,... well, because,... because I realized that I liked hearing it.

4 LAURA (a beat): Oooh. (A beat) Ouch, that had to hurt to admit. WAYNE: I also realized that I wanted people to think that about me whether it was true or not. (He sits down also.) LAURA: Hmmm, I wonder... WAYNE: You wonder what? LAURA: I wonder if this porch swing can support the weight of both us and your rapidly expanding ego? WAYNE: Thanks a lot. Ya know if it helps any, I came outside to think this through and to confess my pride to God. LAURA: And did you do that? WAYNE: Yeah, and I also reached a conclusion, I think. LAURA: Oh? And what s that? WAYNE: I ve decided that I don t want people to think of me as being on fire for God. LAURA: Why? WAYNE: Because it s just not true, Laura! (Upset with himself, he stands and goes to stage right again, his back to LAURA.) The first thing I felt after hearing that was this sort of spiritual pride type thing, ya know? And then I became totally self-conscious all of a sudden. Truth is that I can t live up to that title, no matter how much I d like to. LAURA (she rises and stands next to him, comforting and quietly): So, what s your solution? WAYNE: To change the preposition. LAURA: I don t get it. WAYNE: A preposition is a word used before a noun or pronoun to show the relation to some other word in the sentence, right? LAURA: You know I m not good at this English stuff, Wayne. WAYNE: Ooookay. (A beat) In the sentence Wayne Dean is on fire for God, the noun is God and the preposition is the word for. LAURA (dryly): That s fascinating, sweetheart. WAYNE: Don t you see? By saying I m on fire for God, I m saying that this fire is something I conjured up on my own power for God s use. LAURA: That doesn t really sound right.

5 WAYNE: I know. That s why I decided to change the preposition. LAURA: To what? WAYNE: How about Wayne Dean is on fire by God? LAURA: I don t want to sound stupid,... WAYNE: Never stopped ya before. LAURA (look of death): Just explain what you re trying to say. WAYNE: Well, when I spend time with God, He shows me areas in my life that I need to work on. (He turns to LAURA and says sarcastically) I m not always immediately appreciative of this! (Pauses) But once I humble myself and submit these areas to God, He starts to burn them out of me. LAURA: Sounds like you ve experienced this just recently. WAYNE: To say the least. (Pause) Unfortunately I got pretty puffed up over what Myra said. LAURA: So, you came outside to ask God to burn this pride out of you? WAYNE: I had to. If I didn t, it would ve become a real stumbling block for me. See, this desire of mine for spiritual recognition is all about focusing on me. I needed God s fire to eliminate this desire because it isn t directed toward Him. Does that make sense? Do you kind of understand what I m saying? LAURA: I think what you are saying can be said a lot easier; it s basically the three Cs of Christianity. WAYNE: The three Cs? LAURA: Conviction, confession,... charcoal. WAYNE: You make it sound simple, but it isn t. It s a really uncomfortable process. LAURA: I haven t met a person yet who thought conviction was ever comfortable. Let me ask you something, though. (Pause) Since God is in charge of this purification by fire, what s your responsibility? WAYNE (laughs and sits back down): To see to it that I don t wallow in self-pity once the fire begins! LAURA (laughs and sits also): That s a tough one! WAYNE: I think the tough thing is killing this pride. I just wish it didn t matter to me what people thought about me, ya know? It makes it hard to stay focused on the important thing. LAURA: Which is what God thinks of you? WAYNE: Yeah.

6 LAURA: Being on fire like this doesn t get much attention from others, does it? WAYNE: Nope. There s no glory in it on earth for me. It kind of solves the pride issue. LAURA (thinking): I d personally prefer God s fire burning in me, truly making me holy rather than some fire of my own that s based on zeal, that just gives me the appearance of being holy. WAYNE: That s exactly what I was trying to say! (Pause) And I thought you wouldn t understand. LAURA: You know what? I also understand that I have a wonderful, honest husband and I love you. WAYNE: I love you too. (They look at each other.) Are you ready to go back in? LAURA: OK. (They both stand up and start to walk in. LAURA looks down at the grass, pondering something.) Honey? WAYNE (stops and turns to her): What s the matter? LAURA: Do you think when we get home you can mow our lawn to look like this? WAYNE (grabs her hand): No. LAURA: Why not? WAYNE: Haven t you heard? (Conceitedly) I m on fire for God! I don t have time for mowing lawns! LAURA: You ll be facing the burning fire of Laura if you don t! (Both laugh) WAYNE (puts arm around LAURA): You have a way of making the smell of freshcut grass sound suddenly appealing. (They walk offstage together.)

7 The purchase of this sketch entitles the purchaser to make photocopies of this material for use in their church or nonprofit organization. The sharing of this material with other churches or organizations not owned or controlled by the original purchaser is strictly prohibited. The contents of this sketch may not be reproduced in any other form without written permission from the publisher. Please include the copyright statement found below on each copy made. Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB), 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Questions? Please write, call, or Lillenas Publishing Company Phone: Drama Resources Fax: Web Site: P.O. Box Kansas City, MO The sketch collection Under The Circumstances (MP-820) is available for purchase from Lillenas Drama or from your local Christian bookstore. For a full description of the rest of this collection, or to purchase other individual sketches, refer to