As we strive to make certain Biblical truths clear we are always on the search for good examples and skits to help bring clarity. Along the same lines as the banana example we tried a little something new in our Bible teaching this past Monday. We mixed in a little theatrical play acting!
In this particular skit, a man and his wife were at odds. He wanted children but she was barren. Thinking her husband would leave her unless she did something she went to the local midwife for help. This midwife had a great idea. She said, “If your husband wants a baby, we’ll give him what he wants. Come back each month and we’ll just add another little bulge of cloth under your shirt. This will make him think your pregnant. After several months of this, come back to the hospital under the guise of labor pains and I will give you a doll baby to take home. He wants a baby so we’ll give him a baby.” Sure enough, he was thrilled… until he took a closer look and realized, “Hey, this isn’t a real baby! It’s just a doll!!” He then became very angry with his wife for trying to trick him in this way.
We used this skit to reinforce the point that God only accepts what He does. When we bring Him works we had done, even if they are “good” works, if we didn’t do those works on His prompting with His strength, He does not accept them. When He tells us to do good works He has a certain form of good works in mind, His good works! Just like the husband who wanted a child wanted a certain kind of child, a real child. He was given a child, a doll child, but it wasn’t what He was after.
This skit was a big hit. They laughed hysterically about it, but they went away with a firm grasp of the truth behind it. It was a real conversation starter when they got home and people asked them what they were laughing about.