Faith and Drama
Plays and Readings from a Biblical Perspective
by
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The Way of Mercy
Characters:
Micah Caleb
Luke Man/Jesus
Abe
Setting: Lighting is dim. The four characters are spread out around the stage. The man is laying unconscious center stage. The characters are debating with themselves more than talking to each other.
Micah: Just tell me what to do! (Looks around, asks again to no one in particular) Just tell me! Tell me what I should do!
Luke: Who am I to help him? I don’t even know him!
Caleb: It’s not safe anyway, this makes me very nervous. I’m afraid for my life here…
Abe: I can see that he needs help, but if I stop, then what? It turns into a whole thing!
Luke: I know one thing for certain; this man is not one of us!
Micah: No, he isn’t....
Abe: If the tables were turned and it was me lying there instead of him, he certainly wouldn’t help me.
Caleb: How do we know the people who did that to him aren’t still around somewhere?
Luke: Anyway, he must have done something to bring this on himself. He should’ve been more careful! (They slowly exit stage left, only Micah remains.)
Micah: (His back is to the injured man. Reflecting out loud...) I’m a good person. I keep the law – the law of my conscience mostly – isn’t that good enough?
The injured man, who is upstage from Micah, slowly sits up and speaks. Micah responds without turning around, as if he is having a conversation with his own conscience.
Jesus: Then what are you worried about? Why don’t you just leave?
Micah: (Repeats…) I’m a good person!
Jesus: And…?
Micah: I want to inherit eternal life. I don’t want to do anything wrong; but this…this is asking too much!
Jesus: What does the law say? How do you read it?
Micah: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength...and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus: Then you know what to do!
Micah: But who is my neighbor?
Jesus: (Slowly stands) You mean, who will become your neighbor?
Micah: See – this is too hard! I need clarification!
Jesus: If you were to do all you could to help an enemy, wouldn’t he become your neighbor?
Micah: There are reasons why I can’t do that!
Jesus: I see. The problem is not the law; the problem is that you can’t keep the law.
Micah: (Turns and looks at Jesus) Who are you?
Jesus: My name is Jesus.
Micah: And you keep the law perfectly, I suppose?
Jesus: I love God perfectly, and because of that, I see my neighbor in every enemy.
Micah: To love God...to love my enemy, it feels like the same thing. I mean, I can’t seem to do either.
Jesus: No, you’re going to fail. But then what child doesn’t?
Micah: Child...?
Jesus: You said you want to inherit eternal life. An inheritance can’t be earned. It’s a gift, isn’t it, from parent to child? It’s based on who you are, not what you do.
Micah: But that would make God my father.
Jesus: And you his son.
Micah: But then he really could ask anything of me!
Jesus: Yes. Anything.
Micah: I don’t think... I mean, I can’t make that commitment.
Jesus: You wouldn’t be doing anything alone...
Micah: No. It’s too hard, and a little scary. See, I can’t do it! But then what will become of me? I am a good person really, especially compared to other people! Oh, I don’t feel well, not at all...
While speaking, Micah slowly lays down where Jesus had been lying. In effect, they have traded places. Jesus kneels down to comfort Micah. The others return.
Luke: (To Jesus...) Its good to be merciful but think about it, if you make a commitment to this man it will be a burden in more ways than one; your time, your money, your safety…
Abe: Even if you take him someplace for treatment and he gets well, he’ll only be sold into slavery when he can’t pay his bills. It will have all been for nothing!
Caleb: Not to mention, you’re a hated outsider here. The people in town will assume you did this to him.
Luke: They won’t believe you were trying to help – they’ll most certainly put you
to death!
Caleb: (As they exit.) Did you hear?! They’ll put you to death!
Micah: Lord, will you help me, even though I wouldn’t help you?
Jesus: Yes.
Micah: But, what if...
Jesus: I will help you. And you need to know that I won’t stop helping you until you’re completely well – no matter what the cost.
Lights fade out.
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About the Book
Faith and Drama contains thirty-four short plays and dramatic readings that have been performed in churches, youth groups, conferences and special events in the Middle East as part of a Christian theater ministry.
In places where people don’t have the opportunity to read or study the Bible for themselves, it is all the more important that each play reflect the message of the Gospel. And so these pieces were written to be entertaining, practical, and deeply meaningful.
“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable”
(Matthew 13:34 NIV).
“I said, ‘Sovereign Lord, they are saying of me—isn’t he just telling parables?’”
(Ezekiel 20:49 NIV).
About the Author
Montana Lattin spent twenty years in New York City working in professional theater. For the last ten years she has been Project Coordinator for a theater ministry in the Middle East. She writes and produces plays while training young people in the art of theater.