The Middle of
the Road
by
Craig Castleberry
Scripture: “I
know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor
cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
You say, ‘I am rich, I have acquired wealth and do not need a
thing.’ But, you do not realize that you
are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Theme:
Commitment
Props: Four
Chairs (Two in front as in the front seat of a car and two in back for a backseat.) plus something that
looks like a steering wheel.
Opening
Scene: Two people (Youth or older)
are sitting in the front while the driver has a steering wheel and is
pretending to drive. A younger person
sits quietly in the back seat.
Front
Passenger: There sure is a lot of
traffic today.
Driver: Yes there is. I can’t take my eyes off the road.
Front
Passenger: (Turns head slowly to driver
and replies) And let’s keep it that way. (Pause as
driver smiles) I hope you do that often.
Driver: We’ll be out of town in a
minute and the traffic will be much less.
You alright back there? (Speaking to the youth in the back.
Back Passenger: Just
fine thanks.
Driver: Good. Hey, you know we have missed you at church
the last eight weeks. Where have you
been?
Front
P. : Oh.
Has it been that long? Well, you know
how it is…kids with runny noses, football season kicking off each Sunday and
all of those pre-games.
Driver: Oh
sure. But, aren’t you in the choir
still?
Front
P. : Well,
yes but they still sing without me. I
don’t even know what they are singing now and I never feel good about singing
Sunday without rehearsing.
Driver: Nice, a man with values!
Front
P. : Nothing
but the best for the Lord.
Driver: Exactly. Well, will you look at this, the traffic is
almost non-existent. I think I am going
to play a game we used to play years ago.
Front
P. : What
is that?
Driver: It’s called…”Middle of the
Road.”
(The
driver begins to turn is wheel toward the middle of the road – Counter-
clockwise for
Front
P. : Hey,
what are you doing? You are in the
middle of the road!
Driver: That’s the game. Fun isn’t it?
Front
P. : Are
you crazy? You are going to get us
killed! Get back over in our lane!
Driver: What are you worried
about? I don’t see any traffic on your
side.
Front
P. : I
see a truck up ahead in our lane, I mean his lane, I mean THE TRUCK IS HEADED
OUR WAY!
Driver: It is still several yards
ahead, besides, maybe the truck will move out of the way. They might like this game…you never know.
Front
P. : STOP
IT! STOP IT! You are still over the line!
(The
driver pulls back over to the safe lane and chuckles out loud)
Front
P. : How
can you laugh? You risked our
lives! Not just mine, but what about
Chris in the back?
Driver: That’s my point. This isn’t just a game. Did you know that two other people left choir
because you decided to leave? They were
not strong Christians and they both look up to you. When you left, they left.
Front
P. : What
does that have to do with your crazy driving?
Driver: It’s your lack of commitment,
Pete. God wants us to be on fire for
Him, or not at all. When we treat our
live like the middle of the road, it can be devastating to everyone.
Front
P. : Two
people quit choir because of me?
Driver: Well, they didn’t quit, but
they missed a few Sundays because they thought it was alright. They know you and you are the reason they
even joined the choir. They will have
better reasons later as they grow in Christ.
Front
P. : I
had no idea. I…I am so sorry. I guess when we travel in the middle of the
road (turning back to see the youth in the back seat of the car), we have no
idea who is watching and how it might one day destroy them.
Driver. : So
true. We’ve missed you at church, Pete.
Front
P. : I’ve
really missed you, too. I’m sorry. When we get too busy for God, or just too
lazy, I guess we just veer to the middle of the road.
Driver: We just don’t realize how
dangerous it really is.
Front
P. : Alright,
that is certainly a lesson learned. But, just one thing.
Driver: What’s that?
Front
P. : On
our next trip…I… am driving.
Back
P. Are we there yet?
(Lights Down)
THE
END
Study
Questions
What in your life is a place you travel in
the middle of the road? Church? Work? School? Home?
The Bible says that most are traveling in
the middle or they are in oncoming traffic.
In Matthew
Does your life resemble a narrow road? Have you been four wheeling?
Prayer:
God, forgive my lack of commitment to You and
Your work. Instill in me a new passion
for Jesus Christ that I might serve more faithfully, love more deeply, and see
more clearly the road that is the path to Eternal Life. A road that You have
established for me and all of those who will call upon the name of Jesus. Amen
© 2007 by Craig Castleberry