Letting God
Drama
SUNDAY MORNING READERS' THEATER
Cast: MARY, JOSEPH, three SHEPHERDS and three KINGS. The shepherds may be of either gender.
Length:
15 minutes
MARY and JOSEPH are seated together on stage. There are three other stools near them, two on MARY's right and one on JOSEPH'S left. There is a cradle on the floor next to them.
MARY: Joseph, I want to tell you how grateful I am that you were with me during the birth of the child. I really don't know what I would have done without you.
JOSEPH:
I was glad to do what I could, but I'm afraid it was far from adequate. You should have gone through this in better surroundings, with women from your family to assist you.
MARY: That would have been nice, but everything turned out fine. God in his mercy saw to that.
JOSEPH:
Yes, I know. But still, I feel I let you down.
MARY: In what way?
JOSEPH:
In every way. I thought we would be at home for the child's birth. There you would have had your mother to look after you, and your sisters, and real midwives. Every woman deserves to have at least a midwife to take care of her when her time comes. It wasn't right. It wasn't the way I wanted it to be.
MARY: (Softly) No. I can see that.
JOSEPH:
And we didn't have anything that would have brought you even a little comfort. There was no well nearby, no source of heat, not enough blankets, not even enough soft cloths to wrap the baby in. None of the things a husband should provide.
MARY: But you were with me. That's the most important thing.
JOSEPH:
It wasn't enough. I know it wasn't. I can't do all the things a midwife can do. I didn't even know where to start.
MARY: You did just fine.
JOSEPH:
You're only trying to make me feel better. You know it wasn't fine. It wasn't what it should have been.
MARY: Whatever you didn't provide, God took care of.
JOSEPH:
But God shouldn't have to. It was my responsibility. I'm the husband. And I wasn't able to do for you what good husbands are supposed to do.
MARY: Oh, poor Joseph! I can see you feel badly about this.
JOSEPH: I certainly do.
MARY: I wish I could convince you not to feel so guilty. God brought us to Bethlehem at this precise moment. He knew the child would be born here. He knew that I wouldn't have the comforts of home. He must not have thought it important. And if he doesn't, then neither should we.
JOSEPH:
But it was my job. That's what husbands are for. It's our jobs to see that our wives and children are well taken care of, whatever the circumstances. You were counting on me.
MARY: I appreciate what you're trying to do, Joseph, but, really, there was no way you could have done more.
JOSEPH:
(Stubbornly) I should have found some way. It was my responsibility and I let you down. Look what a mess we're in now. We have no money, no food and very little clothing. And we'll have to stay here in Bethlehem, living in this stable, until the child is old enough to travel. That could be months. How will we manage?
MARY: (Soothingly) We'll manage.
JOSEPH:
We shouldn't have to. I should have provided for you better. I should have solved all the problems. It's all my fault.
MARY: (Sighing) Oh, my poor darling Joseph!
At that moment, the three SHEPHERDS come in, hesitantly.
1ST SHEP: Excuse me. Are we interrupting?
JOSEPH: No, no. Of course not. Please come in.
1ST SHEP: Thank you.
SHEPHERDS take their stools. One is carrying a shabby bundle which is placed on the floor near her stool.
2ND SHEP: We heard from the angels that the Messiah has been born. So we have come to honor him.
MARY: Really! You heard that from angels?
3RD SHEP: Yes. (Indicating the cradle) Is this him? The newborn Messiah?
MARY: Yes, it is.
2ND SHEP: Praise God for his mercy!
OTHERS:
Amen!
JOSEPH:
How did it happen that the angels came to you?
1ST SHEP: I don't really know. We have been living out in the fields these days, keeping watch over our flocks.
2ND SHEP: And suddenly, the angel of the Lord stood before us, and the glory of the Lord shone around us.
3RD SHEP: But the angel said to us, "Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. To you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord."
MARY: How wonderful!
JOSEPH: But how did you know where to find us?
1ST SHEP: The angel told us. It said, "This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."
2ND SHEP: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors."
MARY: (Breathlessly) Praise be to God for his wisdom and mercy!
They all look to the cradle and bow heads for a moment of worship.
JOSEPH:
Amen!
1ST SHEP: And so we have come to bring you gifts.
JOSEPH:
Gifts?
2ND SHEP: They're not much, but we want to share with you the little we have.
JOSEPH:
We don't need any gifts.
MARY: Hush, Joseph! Of course we do.
3RD SHEP: We know how much extra one needs with a new baby and we guessed you wouldn't have been able to bring much with you.
MARY: That's right, we weren't.
1ST SHEP: (Offering the bundle) So we brought some clothes for the baby - clean cloths to use for diapers and some warm little jackets.
2ND SHEP: And outside we have left a stack of cured sheepskins. They will make a comfortable bed for the three of you.
3RD SHEP: And beside them are some woolen blankets to keep you warm.
1ST SHEP: And a container of milk and six large cheeses.
MARY: I can't tell you how much we appreciate all this.
JOSEPH:
Yes, thank you. It's wonderful.
1ST SHEP: Well, we have to be going now.
2ND SHEP: May we come back and visit you again before you leave?
JOSEPH:
Of course.
2ND SHEP: We'll bring more milk next time.
They all shake hands and say their good-byes.
MARY: That was wonderful!
JOSEPH:
That was awful!
MARY: What? What do you mean?
JOSEPH:
It was so embarrassing! Those people were able to take care of my wife and child better than I can. I couldn't give you blankets, but they brought them. I couldn't give you sheepskins to keep you warm, but they did.
MARY: God sent them because he knew you couldn't do it alone.
JOSEPH:
That's just it; I couldn't do it! I know you're trying to cheer me up, Mary, but it only makes me feel worse. God had to step in and take over because I let you down.
MARY: Oh, darling! Please don't think like that.
JOSEPH:
It's true. I'm a failure as a husband and a father.
MARY: No, you're not!
At that moment, the three KINGS enter.
1ST KING: Excuse me. Are we interrupting?
JOSEPH:
No, no. Come in. Sit down.
The three KINGS take their stools. One is carrying a richly wrapped bundle which he puts on the floor near his stool.
2ND KING: We have come to see the child who has been born king of the Jews. (Looking at the cradle) Is this he?
MARY: Yes, it is.
1ST KING: Praise God in his mercy!
OTHERS:
Amen!
3RD KING: We observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.
JOSEPH:
How did you happen to know about him?
1ST KING: It is written in your holy books, "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel."
2ND KING: As we travelled, the star went ahead of us.
3RD KING: At last it stopped over the place where the child was.
1ST KING: When we saw that the star had stopped, we were overwhelmed with joy.
2ND KING: God planned it all in his infinite wisdom and mercy.
MARY: How great he is!
They all bow their heads for a moment of worship.
JOSEPH:
Amen!
2ND KING: And we have brought you some gifts, in his honor.
JOSEPH:
Gifts? We don't need ...
MARY: (Warningly) Joseph!
3RD KING: We thought there would be certain expenses connected with his upbringing and we didn't want you to be short.
1ST KING: We brought things that would fetch a good price on the market and yet hold their value for years: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
He hands MARY the bundle.
MARY: (Peering inside) Oh, they look so expensive!
3RD KING: They may have to last you a long time.
MARY: Thank you so much. This will be a big help.
JOSEPH:
(In a strained tone) Yes. Thank you. Very much.
1ST KING: Well, we'll be leaving now. You'll need your rest.
2ND KING: May we come again and visit?
MARY: Yes. Of course.
They all shake hands and say their good-byes.
MARY: (Cautiously) That was wonderful. Wasn't it?
JOSEPH:
(Gloomily) Yes, it was wonderful that these people are so kind to you and the child. But it makes me feel even more of a failure. Did you hear them? They said there was very little chance we could make it without their expensive gifts. What they meant was, there was very little chance Joseph will be able to provide for you himself. And they're probably right. It makes me feel so ... helpless. And useless.
MARY: But still, God chose you to be the foster father of the Messiah. He knew a good man when he saw one.
JOSEPH:
I'll bet he's sorry now.
MARY: I don't think so.
JOSEPH:
He would have done better with one of those kings. Or even a shepherd.
MARY: God doesn't make mistakes.
JOSEPH: Then why can they provide what I can't?
MARY: Maybe God has a purpose here. Maybe he wanted to give all these people a chance to do their bit for Jesus. If you had taken care of everything, what would be left for them to do?
JOSEPH:
You're just trying to make me feel better.
MARY: Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. It may be that for God's purposes, he wanted you not to be able to do everything yourself.
JOSEPH:
(Gloomily) To teach me humility?
MARY: (Laughing) Hardly! I think you're pretty humble enough already.
JOSEPH:
Then what?
MARY: Maybe if you were in control of the situation, God wouldn't have any room to bring in other helpers - for their own good. Or, perhaps Jesus and I would begin to think of you as our source of comfort instead of God. When we needed something, we would turn to you rather than turning to him.
JOSEPH:
(Eagerly) Really! You think that might be the reason?
MARY: Possibly.
JOSEPH:
So you could almost say that by doing everything perfectly, all by myself, I was getting in God's way.
MARY: That sounds about right.
JOSEPH:
So even if I could be in complete control, I shouldn't want to.
MARY: That's right. I think we're all meant to recognize how much we fall short of perfection. That's why we look to God for our help and not to ourselves.
JOSEPH:
(Sitting up straighter) Well! I feel a lot better now. I don't feel such an awful failure.
MARY: It doesn't really matter if you are or not. He doesn't call us to be successful, but to be faithful.
JOSEPH:
But there still are things I can do for him.
MARY: Of course. You can be the loving husband and father God made you to be. And if, in the future, we come up a little short financially, we can thank God for sending those nice shepherds and kings.
JOSEPH:
You're right. I wasn't feeling quite as grateful earlier as I do now.
MARY: I think they're camped just outside. Let's go out and thank them again.
JOSEPH:
Yes, let's. And let's thank God for his perfect provision.
MARY: (Taking his arm) And his perfect understanding of our weaknesses.
JOSEPH:
Amen!
They leave together.
Length:
15 minutes
MARY and JOSEPH are seated together on stage. There are three other stools near them, two on MARY's right and one on JOSEPH'S left. There is a cradle on the floor next to them.
MARY: Joseph, I want to tell you how grateful I am that you were with me during the birth of the child. I really don't know what I would have done without you.
JOSEPH:
I was glad to do what I could, but I'm afraid it was far from adequate. You should have gone through this in better surroundings, with women from your family to assist you.
MARY: That would have been nice, but everything turned out fine. God in his mercy saw to that.
JOSEPH:
Yes, I know. But still, I feel I let you down.
MARY: In what way?
JOSEPH:
In every way. I thought we would be at home for the child's birth. There you would have had your mother to look after you, and your sisters, and real midwives. Every woman deserves to have at least a midwife to take care of her when her time comes. It wasn't right. It wasn't the way I wanted it to be.
MARY: (Softly) No. I can see that.
JOSEPH:
And we didn't have anything that would have brought you even a little comfort. There was no well nearby, no source of heat, not enough blankets, not even enough soft cloths to wrap the baby in. None of the things a husband should provide.
MARY: But you were with me. That's the most important thing.
JOSEPH:
It wasn't enough. I know it wasn't. I can't do all the things a midwife can do. I didn't even know where to start.
MARY: You did just fine.
JOSEPH:
You're only trying to make me feel better. You know it wasn't fine. It wasn't what it should have been.
MARY: Whatever you didn't provide, God took care of.
JOSEPH:
But God shouldn't have to. It was my responsibility. I'm the husband. And I wasn't able to do for you what good husbands are supposed to do.
MARY: Oh, poor Joseph! I can see you feel badly about this.
JOSEPH: I certainly do.
MARY: I wish I could convince you not to feel so guilty. God brought us to Bethlehem at this precise moment. He knew the child would be born here. He knew that I wouldn't have the comforts of home. He must not have thought it important. And if he doesn't, then neither should we.
JOSEPH:
But it was my job. That's what husbands are for. It's our jobs to see that our wives and children are well taken care of, whatever the circumstances. You were counting on me.
MARY: I appreciate what you're trying to do, Joseph, but, really, there was no way you could have done more.
JOSEPH:
(Stubbornly) I should have found some way. It was my responsibility and I let you down. Look what a mess we're in now. We have no money, no food and very little clothing. And we'll have to stay here in Bethlehem, living in this stable, until the child is old enough to travel. That could be months. How will we manage?
MARY: (Soothingly) We'll manage.
JOSEPH:
We shouldn't have to. I should have provided for you better. I should have solved all the problems. It's all my fault.
MARY: (Sighing) Oh, my poor darling Joseph!
At that moment, the three SHEPHERDS come in, hesitantly.
1ST SHEP: Excuse me. Are we interrupting?
JOSEPH: No, no. Of course not. Please come in.
1ST SHEP: Thank you.
SHEPHERDS take their stools. One is carrying a shabby bundle which is placed on the floor near her stool.
2ND SHEP: We heard from the angels that the Messiah has been born. So we have come to honor him.
MARY: Really! You heard that from angels?
3RD SHEP: Yes. (Indicating the cradle) Is this him? The newborn Messiah?
MARY: Yes, it is.
2ND SHEP: Praise God for his mercy!
OTHERS:
Amen!
JOSEPH:
How did it happen that the angels came to you?
1ST SHEP: I don't really know. We have been living out in the fields these days, keeping watch over our flocks.
2ND SHEP: And suddenly, the angel of the Lord stood before us, and the glory of the Lord shone around us.
3RD SHEP: But the angel said to us, "Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. To you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord."
MARY: How wonderful!
JOSEPH: But how did you know where to find us?
1ST SHEP: The angel told us. It said, "This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger."
2ND SHEP: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors."
MARY: (Breathlessly) Praise be to God for his wisdom and mercy!
They all look to the cradle and bow heads for a moment of worship.
JOSEPH:
Amen!
1ST SHEP: And so we have come to bring you gifts.
JOSEPH:
Gifts?
2ND SHEP: They're not much, but we want to share with you the little we have.
JOSEPH:
We don't need any gifts.
MARY: Hush, Joseph! Of course we do.
3RD SHEP: We know how much extra one needs with a new baby and we guessed you wouldn't have been able to bring much with you.
MARY: That's right, we weren't.
1ST SHEP: (Offering the bundle) So we brought some clothes for the baby - clean cloths to use for diapers and some warm little jackets.
2ND SHEP: And outside we have left a stack of cured sheepskins. They will make a comfortable bed for the three of you.
3RD SHEP: And beside them are some woolen blankets to keep you warm.
1ST SHEP: And a container of milk and six large cheeses.
MARY: I can't tell you how much we appreciate all this.
JOSEPH:
Yes, thank you. It's wonderful.
1ST SHEP: Well, we have to be going now.
2ND SHEP: May we come back and visit you again before you leave?
JOSEPH:
Of course.
2ND SHEP: We'll bring more milk next time.
They all shake hands and say their good-byes.
MARY: That was wonderful!
JOSEPH:
That was awful!
MARY: What? What do you mean?
JOSEPH:
It was so embarrassing! Those people were able to take care of my wife and child better than I can. I couldn't give you blankets, but they brought them. I couldn't give you sheepskins to keep you warm, but they did.
MARY: God sent them because he knew you couldn't do it alone.
JOSEPH:
That's just it; I couldn't do it! I know you're trying to cheer me up, Mary, but it only makes me feel worse. God had to step in and take over because I let you down.
MARY: Oh, darling! Please don't think like that.
JOSEPH:
It's true. I'm a failure as a husband and a father.
MARY: No, you're not!
At that moment, the three KINGS enter.
1ST KING: Excuse me. Are we interrupting?
JOSEPH:
No, no. Come in. Sit down.
The three KINGS take their stools. One is carrying a richly wrapped bundle which he puts on the floor near his stool.
2ND KING: We have come to see the child who has been born king of the Jews. (Looking at the cradle) Is this he?
MARY: Yes, it is.
1ST KING: Praise God in his mercy!
OTHERS:
Amen!
3RD KING: We observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.
JOSEPH:
How did you happen to know about him?
1ST KING: It is written in your holy books, "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel."
2ND KING: As we travelled, the star went ahead of us.
3RD KING: At last it stopped over the place where the child was.
1ST KING: When we saw that the star had stopped, we were overwhelmed with joy.
2ND KING: God planned it all in his infinite wisdom and mercy.
MARY: How great he is!
They all bow their heads for a moment of worship.
JOSEPH:
Amen!
2ND KING: And we have brought you some gifts, in his honor.
JOSEPH:
Gifts? We don't need ...
MARY: (Warningly) Joseph!
3RD KING: We thought there would be certain expenses connected with his upbringing and we didn't want you to be short.
1ST KING: We brought things that would fetch a good price on the market and yet hold their value for years: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
He hands MARY the bundle.
MARY: (Peering inside) Oh, they look so expensive!
3RD KING: They may have to last you a long time.
MARY: Thank you so much. This will be a big help.
JOSEPH:
(In a strained tone) Yes. Thank you. Very much.
1ST KING: Well, we'll be leaving now. You'll need your rest.
2ND KING: May we come again and visit?
MARY: Yes. Of course.
They all shake hands and say their good-byes.
MARY: (Cautiously) That was wonderful. Wasn't it?
JOSEPH:
(Gloomily) Yes, it was wonderful that these people are so kind to you and the child. But it makes me feel even more of a failure. Did you hear them? They said there was very little chance we could make it without their expensive gifts. What they meant was, there was very little chance Joseph will be able to provide for you himself. And they're probably right. It makes me feel so ... helpless. And useless.
MARY: But still, God chose you to be the foster father of the Messiah. He knew a good man when he saw one.
JOSEPH:
I'll bet he's sorry now.
MARY: I don't think so.
JOSEPH:
He would have done better with one of those kings. Or even a shepherd.
MARY: God doesn't make mistakes.
JOSEPH: Then why can they provide what I can't?
MARY: Maybe God has a purpose here. Maybe he wanted to give all these people a chance to do their bit for Jesus. If you had taken care of everything, what would be left for them to do?
JOSEPH:
You're just trying to make me feel better.
MARY: Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. It may be that for God's purposes, he wanted you not to be able to do everything yourself.
JOSEPH:
(Gloomily) To teach me humility?
MARY: (Laughing) Hardly! I think you're pretty humble enough already.
JOSEPH:
Then what?
MARY: Maybe if you were in control of the situation, God wouldn't have any room to bring in other helpers - for their own good. Or, perhaps Jesus and I would begin to think of you as our source of comfort instead of God. When we needed something, we would turn to you rather than turning to him.
JOSEPH:
(Eagerly) Really! You think that might be the reason?
MARY: Possibly.
JOSEPH:
So you could almost say that by doing everything perfectly, all by myself, I was getting in God's way.
MARY: That sounds about right.
JOSEPH:
So even if I could be in complete control, I shouldn't want to.
MARY: That's right. I think we're all meant to recognize how much we fall short of perfection. That's why we look to God for our help and not to ourselves.
JOSEPH:
(Sitting up straighter) Well! I feel a lot better now. I don't feel such an awful failure.
MARY: It doesn't really matter if you are or not. He doesn't call us to be successful, but to be faithful.
JOSEPH:
But there still are things I can do for him.
MARY: Of course. You can be the loving husband and father God made you to be. And if, in the future, we come up a little short financially, we can thank God for sending those nice shepherds and kings.
JOSEPH:
You're right. I wasn't feeling quite as grateful earlier as I do now.
MARY: I think they're camped just outside. Let's go out and thank them again.
JOSEPH:
Yes, let's. And let's thank God for his perfect provision.
MARY: (Taking his arm) And his perfect understanding of our weaknesses.
JOSEPH:
Amen!
They leave together.
