WHAT’S “DISPUTING”?
(complaining and arguing, Phil. 2:14, works best with a club or camp)
[Uses three puppets, two girls and a boy or change names (it helps to have a human arm puppet to throw the beanbags); Props: a hanky, a sign with Phil. 2:14 on it]
(You can adapt the activities, the names, and the name of the club to fit your own situation.)
(All three enter. Joy begins tossing bean bags onto the ground in front of the stage.)
JOY: Boy, this Kids’ Club sure is fun.
TRUDY: I don’t know, Joy. In only got to have one cookie. Someone ate more than his share because when I got there, there was only one left.
FRANKLIN: You think that was bad. Mrs. M made me play that running game and I’m wounded.
JOY: Wounded? You look all right to me.
FRANKLIN: Hey, I’m wounded! (Looks down at toe) I stubbed my toe just three weeks ago, and if I think about it real hard, it hurts!
TRUDY: Mrs. B messed up the Bible drill. I was the first one up, but she said Franklin was.
FRANKLIN: Trudy, you were not first! I was!
(In each of these arguments the speaking puppet leans forward while the one he’s arguing with leans back until argument is over.)
TRUDY: Were not.
FRANKLIN: Were too.
TRUDY: Were not.
FRANKLIN: Were too.
JOY: Hey wait a minute. I don’t understand. My mom said Kids’ Club was a Bible club. Maybe I got the wrong address.
FRANKLIN: No. You’re in the right place. Kids’ Club is a Bible club.
JOY: But the Bible says, (sign pops up) “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.”
FRANKLIN: We’re not disputing. We’re just arguing.
TRUDY: Arguing is disputing, stupid.
FRANKLIN: Is not.
TRUDY: Is too.
FRANKLIN: Is not.
TRUDY: Is too.
JOY: Why are you arguing, anyway?
TRUDY: Because I’m right.
FRANKLIN: No, I am.
TRUDY: Are not.
FRANKLIN: Are too.
JOY: (scratches head) I can’t even remember what you guys were arguing about.
TRUDY: (pauses) I forgot.
FRANKLIN: Me, too.
TRUDY: But it was real important!
JOY: I know. You were arguing about what “disputing” is. My mom explained it to me. I think disputing is what you’re doing right now. Do you dispute at Kids’ Club? And complain, too?
FRANKLIN: (hangs head) Well, everyone complains. Don’t you complain, Joy?
JOY: I tried complaining once, but it made me sad. (dabs at tear with a hanky) I don’t like to be sad. So I decided to think about happy things all the time.
TRUDY: What about when your mom makes you eat spinach?
JOY: I like spinach.
FRANKLIN: What about when your dad makes you go to bed early.
JOY: I think about how good I’m going to feel the next day after all that rest. (rests head on hands)
TRUDY: You are so weird!
FRANKLIN: What about when your mom makes you do something you really hate to do?
JOY: I just think about my teddy bear.
FRANKLIN: Your teddy bear? What does that have to do with your mom making you do something you hate?
JOY: My mom made me my teddy bear. It’s hard to be mad at someone who makes you a teddy bear. But you guys seem to enjoy complaining and arguing. Maybe I should try it. Is it really fun? Does it make you happy?
TRUDY: (hangs head) Uh, I don’t know.
JOY: It doesn’t sound like fun. In fact, it makes me sad just listening to you.
FRANKLIN: It’s not supposed to make you happy.
JOY: Then why do you do it?
(Awkward pause.)
TRUDY: Well, I can’t think of any good reason. Can you, Franklin?
FRANKLIN: Not really.
TRUDY: I guess my toe doesn’t hurt that bad anymore. Maybe if I concentrated on the game and forgot about my toe I’d have more fun.
FRANKLIN. Yeah. And I’m not really sure I was the first one up for the Bible drill. Mrs. B can really see who jumps up first better than I can.
JOY: Hey. Now it really sounds like a Bible club in here. Anyone want to throw bean bags with me?
TRUDY: That sounds like fun.
FRANKLIN. Throwing Frisbees is better.
(All turn to exit.)
TRUDY: No, it’s not. You have to go chase Frisbees. If we wanted exercise we could play tennis. (exits)
FRANKLIN: But throwing Frisbees is a sport. Bean bags are for little kids. (exits)
JOY: And they think I’m weird! (exits)