O. J. T.
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
57 Vignettes For Cycle A
Theme
There is no peace on earth between the world system and God. They are in constant conflict and taking a stand for the Prince of Peace is often risky. A man's enemies are sometimes masquerading as his friends.
Summary
Ed is told by his supervisor that he is being fired from his job because he will not participate in the training provided by the company.
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Setting: A work place
Props: None
Costumes: Business attire
Time: The present
Cast: ED
JOE -- his supervisor
ED: (ENTERS AND CROSSES TO WHERE JOE IS) Joe, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to talk to you about the Williams's account.
JOE: I wanted to talk to you, too.
ED: Okay, sure.
JOE: Ed, you've been a good employee in many ways, but I'm going to have to let you go.
ED: Oh, no! Why?
JOE: It's because of your reluctance to participate in our training programs.
ED: I told you I was willing to substitute some other training.
JOE: I told the president that and he said, and I agree with him, that we need a unified training. We can't have people training any way they see fit. That could lead to "Lone Rangers." We have to work as a team.
ED: I can understand that. I am a team member. I work well with all my co-workers.
JOE: But you left the first training session you were in.
ED: Yes, I sure did. I just was not ...
JOE: Well, that doesn't sound like a team player to me. Listen, Ed, I like you but you just don't fit in. Why not give a little bit? I'd like to keep you on. I'm sure we can work something out. I can speak to the president again.
ED: That's fine if you get him to go along with my own training program.
JOE: I told you what he said. He won't change his mind.
ED: Neither will I.
JOE: You're being unreasonable. You're only hurting yourself. Hey, I'm a Christian too, you know. I've been through the training. It's all right.
ED: If you are a Christian you should be the one that is backing me up. That training goes against all the biblical principles that I have been taught.
JOE: We're not training people in the Bible. This is a business, not a Bible school.
ED: My Bible tells me I have to live the Christian life all the time -- including my time at work.
JOE: This training goes right along with those Christian principles that you've learned.
ED: No, it doesn't. I just couldn't go along with the training. It was all intended to convince me that I have the power within myself to do anything I want.
JOE: We do have the power within us.
ED: We do.
JOE: There, you see.
ED: We only have that power because God gives us that power.
JOE: Right. There is a God-given power within us.
ED: But you and I are talking about two different things.
JOE: No, we're not. The power within us, that's a God-given thing.
ED: No. If your heart belongs to Jesus the power within you is the Holy Spirit, but if your heart belongs to yourself then the power is from yourself. That power could be used for good or evil.
JOE: Are you saying that the training we are using is evil?
ED: I'm saying it is not of God and I'm saying it's not for me.
JOE: Did you think this was a Christian business when you accepted this job?
ED: No. I knew it wasn't. But I didn't think I would be fired because I was a Christian either.
JOE: Listen. I'm a Christian and my job is secure.
ED: But you also go along with whatever they tell you to do. And you don't know your Bible that well. You're not that good a Christian witness.
JOE: I attend church every week. This training has nothing to contradict what is written in the Bible. It has nothing to do with religion.
ED: Don't be too sure of that.
JOE: Where in the Bible does it say anything about this training?
ED: The Bible does say not to worship any other gods.
JOE: You're just a radical.
ED: The Bible also says when humans stop worshiping God they substitute the image of man. And that's what this training does. It substitutes the power of man for the power of God.
JOE: I think you're way off base.
ED: If people rely only on that power within themselves and not God, then who are they answerable to?
JOE: Themselves, of course.
ED: That kinda leaves God out, doesn't it?
ED: It sure does, but I'll tell you again, we're not here to promote God or the Bible.
ED: You don't have to tell me. You're promoting yourself and that's contrary to God's will.
JOE: The training personnel are claiming some pretty impressive statistics.
ED: They certainly are. I've seen them.
JOE: An increase in sales of five percent per month. That's impressive. Less stress. That's impressive. Healing people -- they have actually healed people of diseases. Walking on fire -- actually walking on fire. That's certainly impressive. Doesn't that sound desirable?
ED: It really does. Any normal person would want this for their company or for themselves, but it accentuates our independence from God and that's the reason I won't participate.
JOE: I think you're being narrow-minded.
ED: I prefer to call it God-centered.
JOE: So, that's your decision, is it?
ED: That's it. I made a decision for Christ many years ago. He's my Lord.
JOE: Do you know how unreasonable you sound?
ED: I'm sticking to my original decision.
JOE: Well, I'm sorry. You're going to lose all your benefits, too, you know. Have you thought about that?
ED: I have. I have to trust the Lord to provide for me.
JOE: You're making the wrong decision.
ED: I don't think so. Joe, you're an intelligent man, why don't you make the right decision and protest this training, too?
JOE: I can't. I have to think about myself.
ED: I know.
There is no peace on earth between the world system and God. They are in constant conflict and taking a stand for the Prince of Peace is often risky. A man's enemies are sometimes masquerading as his friends.
Summary
Ed is told by his supervisor that he is being fired from his job because he will not participate in the training provided by the company.
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Setting: A work place
Props: None
Costumes: Business attire
Time: The present
Cast: ED
JOE -- his supervisor
ED: (ENTERS AND CROSSES TO WHERE JOE IS) Joe, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to talk to you about the Williams's account.
JOE: I wanted to talk to you, too.
ED: Okay, sure.
JOE: Ed, you've been a good employee in many ways, but I'm going to have to let you go.
ED: Oh, no! Why?
JOE: It's because of your reluctance to participate in our training programs.
ED: I told you I was willing to substitute some other training.
JOE: I told the president that and he said, and I agree with him, that we need a unified training. We can't have people training any way they see fit. That could lead to "Lone Rangers." We have to work as a team.
ED: I can understand that. I am a team member. I work well with all my co-workers.
JOE: But you left the first training session you were in.
ED: Yes, I sure did. I just was not ...
JOE: Well, that doesn't sound like a team player to me. Listen, Ed, I like you but you just don't fit in. Why not give a little bit? I'd like to keep you on. I'm sure we can work something out. I can speak to the president again.
ED: That's fine if you get him to go along with my own training program.
JOE: I told you what he said. He won't change his mind.
ED: Neither will I.
JOE: You're being unreasonable. You're only hurting yourself. Hey, I'm a Christian too, you know. I've been through the training. It's all right.
ED: If you are a Christian you should be the one that is backing me up. That training goes against all the biblical principles that I have been taught.
JOE: We're not training people in the Bible. This is a business, not a Bible school.
ED: My Bible tells me I have to live the Christian life all the time -- including my time at work.
JOE: This training goes right along with those Christian principles that you've learned.
ED: No, it doesn't. I just couldn't go along with the training. It was all intended to convince me that I have the power within myself to do anything I want.
JOE: We do have the power within us.
ED: We do.
JOE: There, you see.
ED: We only have that power because God gives us that power.
JOE: Right. There is a God-given power within us.
ED: But you and I are talking about two different things.
JOE: No, we're not. The power within us, that's a God-given thing.
ED: No. If your heart belongs to Jesus the power within you is the Holy Spirit, but if your heart belongs to yourself then the power is from yourself. That power could be used for good or evil.
JOE: Are you saying that the training we are using is evil?
ED: I'm saying it is not of God and I'm saying it's not for me.
JOE: Did you think this was a Christian business when you accepted this job?
ED: No. I knew it wasn't. But I didn't think I would be fired because I was a Christian either.
JOE: Listen. I'm a Christian and my job is secure.
ED: But you also go along with whatever they tell you to do. And you don't know your Bible that well. You're not that good a Christian witness.
JOE: I attend church every week. This training has nothing to contradict what is written in the Bible. It has nothing to do with religion.
ED: Don't be too sure of that.
JOE: Where in the Bible does it say anything about this training?
ED: The Bible does say not to worship any other gods.
JOE: You're just a radical.
ED: The Bible also says when humans stop worshiping God they substitute the image of man. And that's what this training does. It substitutes the power of man for the power of God.
JOE: I think you're way off base.
ED: If people rely only on that power within themselves and not God, then who are they answerable to?
JOE: Themselves, of course.
ED: That kinda leaves God out, doesn't it?
ED: It sure does, but I'll tell you again, we're not here to promote God or the Bible.
ED: You don't have to tell me. You're promoting yourself and that's contrary to God's will.
JOE: The training personnel are claiming some pretty impressive statistics.
ED: They certainly are. I've seen them.
JOE: An increase in sales of five percent per month. That's impressive. Less stress. That's impressive. Healing people -- they have actually healed people of diseases. Walking on fire -- actually walking on fire. That's certainly impressive. Doesn't that sound desirable?
ED: It really does. Any normal person would want this for their company or for themselves, but it accentuates our independence from God and that's the reason I won't participate.
JOE: I think you're being narrow-minded.
ED: I prefer to call it God-centered.
JOE: So, that's your decision, is it?
ED: That's it. I made a decision for Christ many years ago. He's my Lord.
JOE: Do you know how unreasonable you sound?
ED: I'm sticking to my original decision.
JOE: Well, I'm sorry. You're going to lose all your benefits, too, you know. Have you thought about that?
ED: I have. I have to trust the Lord to provide for me.
JOE: You're making the wrong decision.
ED: I don't think so. Joe, you're an intelligent man, why don't you make the right decision and protest this training, too?
JOE: I can't. I have to think about myself.
ED: I know.
