CampingTrip

Theme: Spiritual Gifts are God-Given and we are commanded to use them! Many times, we are simply plugged into the wrong places and are not where our spiritual gifts can be best used.

Scripture: “God has given gifts to each of you from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.” I Peter 4:10

Cast: Two married couples arrive on the scene of a campsite. Older children can substitute for Annette and Alex with minor changes.

Setting: Do your best to make it look like a campsite which might include some lawn chairs, some fishing gear and a cooler. Ron and Barbara are one couple and Alex and Annette are the other couple. Each of them is carrying something with them including a backpack which should have a flashlight which uses “D” size batteries, but has a couple of “AA” batteries in it which rattle around because they are too small. A small bag of charcoal is needed.

Opening Scene: The two couples each carry a “camping” item and arrive at the camp site. Alex is carrying more than anyone else and looks frustrated. They walk to center stage and stop…

Alex: (Beginning to drop some of the things he is carrying like the lawn chairs.) If it is, do you think that MAYBE we could park next to it next time?

Barbara: I think Alex was thinking more along the lines of fishing and hiking, not being a pack mule.

Alex: Would I EVER forget a flashlight? (He pulls a flashlight out of the backpack and hands it to her)

Annette: Thanks! (She tries to turn it on, but it does not work.) Hey! This thing is rattling!

Ron: Let me see that. (Ron takes the flashlight from Annette and opens it up as he pours out 2 “AA” batteries.) Alex, you have AA batteries in a flashlight that requires “D” size batteries!

Alex: Well, I was in a hurry and I didn’t have time to search around for (Uses his fingers to do the quotation sign while saying “D Size”) D size batteries. I saw the AAs and they were just begging to get into my flashlight!

Ron: I know they were easy to find, but this is never going to work. Barbara, do we still have that small flashlight in the trunk of the car?

Annette: Perfect! At least we won’t be tripping over things in the tent! We’ll just trash the dead batteries and use these.

Alex: Sorry everyone, I really didn’t plan well. I hope that I got everything else right.

Ron: No, actually I was thinking that, at times, we don’t put what we have been given to the best use possible. Some of us are just rattling like batteries in the wrong flashlight.

Barbara: So, we need to find the right flashlight to do all we are supposed to do.

Alex: And don’t forget, there is an expiration date on the side of those batteries.

Ron: I sure did. I’ll need to get the truck and park it here so it will be easy to unload.

THE END

How are we like this story when it comes to spiritual gifts? We often look to just fill a spot in ministry with a warm body. We may tend to look for the quick answer than the right one.

How far would a Volkswagen Bug travel with easily available tractor tires? Not far. It would travel a short distance, but eventually, the tired would tear the car up. However, the right tires for the car would equip it to go thousands of miles and would greatly surpass the distance traveled by the quick-fix tractor tires.

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like batteries just rattling in a flashlight? When we are not doing what God has gifted us to do, we will be wasting our time and mostly likely, the time of so many others.

Did you notice that Alex was doing a lot…carrying a lot, but he was miserable and willing to share that he was? Examine the load you carry and give it to God. He might give you a different load, different tasks, and move you where you need to be. It is a matter of sincere prayer.