Verses #3 – Romans 12:1

WITH STRINGS ATTACHED

by Deb Brammer

(giving your life to God; Romans 12:1)

 

[uses 2 boy puppets and one lady, or change names; props: a flower pot with a flower and 7 strings hanging over the sides, and a sign with Rom. 12:1]

 

(A human arm puppet is ideal for Bo, or you can use a regular puppet and attach a light flower pot to Bo’s arm or just set the pot in front of the stage on a table.)

 

(Bo enters. Then Zach enters behind him.)

 

Zach:  Hey, Bo.  Where are you going with that pretty flower?

 

Bo:  I’m going to give it to my teacher, Mrs. Kelly.  Mrs. Kelly is the bestest teacher I’ve ever had.  She learns me to speak English real good and she’s given me a lot of extra help with math this year.  Since she’s a Christian, she also tries to help me do what’s right.  She has done so much for me I just want to give her something to show her how much she means to me.

 

Zach:  Look, Bo.  There she is now.

 

(Mrs. Kelly enters from opposite side of stage, bending over, searching the ground.)

 

Mrs. Kelly:  Hi, Zach and Bo. Where are you boys going?

 

Bo:  Hi, Mrs. Kelly.  I was looking for you.  I wanted to give you this flower because you are so nice to me.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  Why, thank you, Bo.  (smells it) It’s a really nice flower.  Whenever I look at it, it will make me think of you.  But what are all these strings? (touches strings)

 

Bo:  The strings are to remind you to do things.  You know.  It’s like tying a string on your finger.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  So what are the strings supposed to remind me to do?

 

Bo:  Well, one string is to remind you to water the plants twice a week.  And another string is to remind you to put it in indirect light.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  Well, I can’t put it in my kitchen window then.  Maybe I’ll put it in my bedroom.

 

Bo:  No.  You can’t put it in your bedroom.  No one will see it there.  One of the strings tells you to put it on your TV where it would look best.  And could you put a purple doily under it?  That will bring out the color of the flower.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  But I don’t have a purple doily.

 

Bo:  Maybe you can buy one.  Another string is so you won’t forget to give a clipping of the plant to my Aunt Josie when it gets bigger.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  Well, I’ll try.  But I’m not very good with plants.  I’m afraid it will die.

 

Bo:  Oh, no, Mrs. Kelly.  Whatever you do, DON’T LET IT DIE. Just remember the strings.  One string tells you to put plant fertilizer on it.  And the last one is to remind you to transplant it when it outgrows the pot.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  I don’t know, Bo.  I’m not sure I can remember to do all the things you want me to do.  Would you feel really bad if the plant dies?

 

Bo:  I sure would.  I had to beg my mom to let me dig it out of her garden.  She didn’t really want me to do it.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  Maybe you ought to take it back and plant it where you got it.  Then your mom won’t feel bad if it dies.

 

Bo:  But Mrs. Kelly, this flower is my gift to you.  If you don’t take it, it will hurt my feelings.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  Oh.  Well, I guess I can try.

 

Bo:  You do like my flower, don’t you Mrs. Kelly?

 


Mrs. Kelly:  It’s a nice flower, but I guess I liked it better before I knew about all the strings attached.

 

Bo: You won’t forget to do all those things, will you?

 

Mrs. Kelly:  I think I have already forgotten what a lot of the strings in my plant are for, but that  reminds me of a Bible verse.  Do you boys know Romans 12:1?

 

Bo:  Yeah.  We learned it at Sunday School.  How does it go, Zach?

 

(Sign pops up.)

 

Zach:  “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

 

Bo:  That means we’re supposed to give our lives to God.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  That’s right, Bo.  But when some people give their lives to God, they have strings attached.

 

Bo:  What strings?

 

Zach:  It’s like when people get saved and give their lives to God, but they don’t want to do things for him.  You know, like when you say, “I love you God, but don’t ask me to read my Bible every day.  That’s too hard.  And I could never tell my friends about Jesus.”

 

Bo:  I get it.  Like when I stay up late Saturday night.  I want to serve God, but then I don’t want to get up for Sunday School the next morning.

 

Mrs. Kelly:  That’s right.  God wants us to give Him our whole lives‑‑no strings attached.  That means we decide to obey God, no matter what He asks us to do.  Jesus gave his life for us when he died on the cross.  We should be glad to do anything for him.

 

Bo:  (Looks at the flower.)  I still want you to have the flower, Mrs. Kelly.  But first of all, I want to take all the strings out. Then I’ll take it to your house. You can put the plant wherever you want, and if it dies, I don’t want you to worry about it.  I just want you to enjoy it as a gift from me.

 

Mrs. Kelly.:  Thank you, Bo.  Now I WILL enjoy your gift. 

 

(All exit.)